Angel Of The Twilight
by Kawaii Overdose
Summary: [KnuxOCSonic] OC requests CLOSED! Ch. 20 finally done! It would have been longer, but you guys have waited long enough! An explanation of why I was late and what happens when a person is hit with pink knock out gas! Taintage of Amy included!
1. A Stranger Lost In Random Space

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and all the other characters are © of Sega.

Airie Keys, C.K., Largo, and the villain are © of me

Lite is © of my friend.

So there.

Anyway, enjoy.

* * *

One sunny Saturday, a young teenage girl walked along a forest path. She was carrying a suitcase and backpack, singing to herself 'It Doesn't Matter', Sonic's theme from SA2 to herself. This girl, whom you would never guess from her up-beat attitude, is an orphan. Her father, Shigure, died of an illness when she was only 8. Her mother, Kyoko, perished in a car crash when she was 12. Three years since, she had been adopted into a new family, the family of her younger friend, Andrew, though he prefers for her to call him 'Lite'. Any other friends, you may ask? Largo, only a year older than her, is a talented person when it comes to computers. But when certain 'things' happen, he will tend to go crazy, apparently using his tech to build weapons in order to capture 'zombies', that are innocent ravers. Another, Chihiro Kendo, who they all refer to as 'C.K.'. Youngest of three children, she came from Japan to America to meet her pen pal, which was this girl. C.K. can be very sweet, but can also get very mad at things. Usually resulting in her breaking a broom in the process of banging it over Largo's head. She also said that her family roots have said to go back so far, that she might be 50 witch and 50 wiccan. Sure, this girl could've got better friends. But she liked her's just they way they were. 

Seeing a house in the distance, the girl picked up her pace and started to run. She was running to her old home, the one that belonged to her father. She was going to stay there for a few weeks, just to relax. Her step-brother and friends were coming later.

'_I have to hurry,'_ she thought, _'or I'm gonna miss Sonic X!'_ As you can see, this girl is a fan of Sonic The Hedgehog. She had grown up with him, so Sonic was permanently glued in her brain. In fact, she and all her friends were fans, each with a favorite character. For Lite and Largo, there was Tails. For C.K. and the girl, there was Knuckles. She had seen every episode of the first season, owned nearly every game and DVD, and was a member of one of the largest Sonic fan sites yet.

Obsessed? Maybe, maybe not.

Butfor her, it was natural. Perhaps _too_ natural. She had always imagined what it would be like, to enter Sonic's world. She had even made a design of herself there. Instead of her long black hair with a sky-blue high-light, she had sky-blue hair that reached at least to the center of her back. She would be wearing her current clothes, a blue sleeved-white shirt with a light blue heart in the middle, plain blue jeans, andblue shoes that looked like Knuckles' and Amy Rose's put together. She wasn't a hedgehog, or an echidna for that matter. She was a combination of the two, so she gave herself one emerald eye and one violet eye, and her hands had spikes but you could still see her fingers. Not to mention she would have a pair of great eagle wings on her back.

The girl chuckled chuckled. She always loved when she told her mother about that. When her mother asked with she didn't just decide to be just a hedgehog or just an echidna, she always answered: 'Because I don't think that Sonic and Knuckles have to fight all the time. Sonic can be a real jerk to Knuckles because he doesn't understand how important his job is, and Knuckles is jealous at Sonic because he has more freedom than he does. I think if they both take some time to understand each others situations, things might just be different!' Her mother then chuckled and said 'Little Airie Keys. My little Key Of The Twilight.'

Some distant caws snapped Airie back to reality. The crows that she befriended along the years had stopped her before she ran into the door of her house. She laughed at herself. "Thanks guys!" she cried to them. They cawed a 'You're welcome!' and flew off. Airie took the keys out of her Inu-Yasha backpack and unlocked the door. She dropped the suitcase and ran for her room. She was not going to miss Sonic X this week. When she turned on the T.V. to 4Kids. But the energetic smile on her face didn't last long.Herjaw dropped,her eyes wide with horror. Without warning she went over to her desk, sat down in the chair, and began banging her head on it. Why?

"That's right!" the announcer guy yelled. "Sonic X is now airing at 8:00! Now back to Winx Club!"

That would be why.

According to the clock in Airie's room, it was 9:30. When Sonic X should have been on.

"Damn 4Kids!" She yelled. "This never would have happened with Fox Box! The stinkn' pixies wouldn't have come and then try to take over Cartoon Network! They wouldn't have dubbed Tokyo Mew Mew into that crappy Mew Mew Power! They wouldn't be trying to ruin One Piece, Magical DoReMi, and all other innocent manga and anime in the world! I swear if it's the last thing I do I'm going to bomb the 4Kids HQ!"

The moral of that little outburst? Never mess with a fifteen-year-old otaku and her anime.

Regardless, Airie took her laptop out of her backpack and logged on. She went to the one site that would calm her down: her own. The site that she made was just her own online Sonic comic. She needed to scan the next part anyway. (A/N: The last part was when Knuckles followed Rouge around on a motorbike wearing a 'Happy Veggie' suit.)

Right when she was about to warm up the scanner, she saw something blue dash outside. Airie held her breath. She saw it again. Whatever it was.

She grabbed her backpack and stuffed into it her laptop, notebooks, cell-phone, and a camping tent for when she sketched outside. She wasn't sure why, but she put on her pack and opened her window. The blue thing was hanging around a tree with a swing tied on its branches. She jumped out of her window and landed safely on the ground. She walked closer to the blue thing, but she blinked and it was gone. _'There's no way...'_ she thought.

She heard something behind her. The blue thing charged right at her, and Airie blacked out. At least it seemed that way.

Airie had some sort of dream. She was falling, but it didn't feel that way. Her body was changing, becoming smaller but stronger in a way. Her feet and hands grew bigger. Her nose turned into a muzzle. Her ears grew pointed. And something came out of her back. She turned to see what it was. All she could see…was a pair of sky-blue wings…

The dream ended, and now it really felt like she was falling. She screamed, what else could she have done? Airie looked down, something red was beneath her, moving. "GET OUT OF THE WAY!" she cried. The red creature didn't see her till the last second. Airie landed on top of whatever it was. Dust came up from the ground and blocked her view. The creature, apparently a guy, said in a deep voice, "Hey, can you get off me now?" "S-Sorry…" Airie stammered. She couldn't see through the dust so she tripped over and landed next to a small puddle. As she looked at her reflection, she forgot to breathe.

The face staring back at her was sky-blue, with pointed ears, long hair that reached to the middle of her back, and a muzzle. Behind the face were to eagle wings. The eyes staring back at her-one emerald, one violet.

"Are you okay?"

She looked up to the voice of the guy who she fell on. Red dreadlocks, spiked hands, white mark on his chest, and a pair of large violet eyes staring right at her.

Airie Keys was meeting Knuckles The Echidna, face to face.

* * *

So, what d'cha think of it so far? 

R&R people!


	2. A Great First Impression?

I'm trying my best tofix this fanfic so it makes more sense. If it doesn't, someone please tell me.

* * *

RECAP: She looked up to the voice of the guy who she fell on. Red dreadlocks, spiked hands, white mark on his chest, and a pair of large violet eyes staring right at her.

Airie Keys was meeting Knuckles The Echidna, face to face.

* * *

"Are you ok?"

Airie needed some time to come back to Earth after what just happened. Was any of this real? If it was could she get back home? If she did would she need therapy?

"I asked if you were alright." Airie then remembered that she fell on Knuckles, who was now becoming annoyed that she was not answering his question. "Um..Yeah…?" Knuckles didn't seem satisfied with her answer. But then he got a better look of her. Both of her hands had the same spikes that were on his hands. Her ears were pointed, like Sonic's. And there was also the wings on her back. She was probably the weirdest thing he ever saw right now.

"Just who and what are you?" he asked. Airie was about to answer his question, when she remembered that he was the last echidna. If Airie told him that she was half echidna, it might cause Sonic X to go into disorder. Not that her presence didn't do that already. And she couldn't tell him that she was from another world and that there hewasn't real. He'd just think she was insane.

'_Well, if this is allreal I might be **more** insane than I thought.'_ She thought.

"I-I'm sorry. I have to go right now!" Airie grabbed her backpack and ran as fast as she could into a nearby forest. In the distance she could hear Knuckles yell after her, "Hey, come back!" but she didn't listen. She just kept running.

The forest became more dense along the way and soon Knuckles lost sight of her. He kept going until he reached a dead end. Giving up, he began to walk out. He figured with all the weird things happening, he could've just imagined that girl was even there at all.

Airie, hiding behind a boulder, sighed in relief. Normally, she would have been happily freaked out that she met Knuckles. But not like this. It was all wrong. She didn't even know what episode of Sonic X was next. Airie racked through her Sonic X memories.

'_Let's see…Last week was the one where Sonic found two Chaos Emeralds. Which meant the one this week was where Sonic hung out with Helen. Which meant the next one would be where they found a Chaos Emerald underwater. And that means that the next one is where-'_

Airie got a hold of herself before she kept rambling in her head. She didn't have time for this. She unzipped her backpack and took out the tent she brought with her, silently glad that her gut-feelings were usually right. Once she set up her little camp, she went out in the forest looking for food and water. As she was walking, her body was getting weaker and she was feeling down right feverish. It didn't stop her.

* * *

_Knuckles' POV-_

Knuckles walked inside the forest where it was less dense. He was hoping that he could find that girl from before, but was having no such luck. It was almost like she disappeared without a trace. Knuckles was getting mad at himself.

'_How is it that an experienced treasure hunter like me can't even find one person!'_ he thought. _'For all I know she could have never even existed.'_

"Something wrong, spikes?"

Knuckles looked up into a tree to see a blue hedgehog with emerald eyes looking at him.

"Sonic, what do you want?" Knuckles asked threateningly. "What? Can't a guy just ask what's up?" Sonic said in his casual voice. "You looked weird, so I just wanted to know if something was on your mind." "…There was a girl." "A girl?" "Yeah. She just came out of nowhere. I asked who she was but she ran away." Sonic smiled and sang teasingly; "Knuckles got a girlfriend! Knuckles got a girlfriend! Knuckles got a-"

He was cut off because Knuckles stomped on his foot.

"OW! What was that for!" Sonic yelled. "Its nothing you didn't deserve." Knuckles replied victoriously.

Sonic grumbled something and turned his attention the forest path below. "Hey Knuckles, is that her?"

Sure enough, the weird girl with wings was walking down the path, carrying about five apples in her arms. She didn't seem as energetic as when Knuckles first 'met' her. Her eyelids were halfway closed. She was nearly dragging her feet that looked that they would give in very soon. Her arms seemed like they would go limp at any second. Every so often she would man softly.

"It looks she's gonna be sick." Sonic said. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go help her!" "Wait." Knuckles said. "When I asked her who she was, she seemed really freaked out to see me. Let's just see where she's heading first." Sonic gave up. Knuckles did have a point. "Alright." He said finally. "So, what's the plan?"

* * *

_Airie's POV-_

'_I made it back alright.'_ She thought wearily. Her whole body felt weak as she entered her tent. Propped up against her backpack was a picture of her deceased mother. "I know Mom. Its late." She said to the picture. "I'm just going to find a river where I can get some water. Maybe that will help with my weakness." Airie didn't know if she was sick or not, but eating and drinking always helped her feel better. She let out a small sigh and unzipped the tent's 'door'…

…meeting two pairs of odd-looking sneakers.

She looked up. Sonic and Knuckles were staring down at her. She stared at them for about a minute when Sonic broke the awkward silence in the only way he saw appropriate.

He cracked up.

"BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

"Shut up Sonic."

* * *

Hmm…I hope I didn't make Sonic and Knuckles too OOC. I also hope that my POV's don't suck as much I think they do.But I guess that's just what happens when you write a fanfic! 


	3. Sonic The Stalker

Thank you, fellow 4Kids haters!

* * *

RECAP: She looked up. Sonic and Knuckles were staring down at her. She stared at them for about a minute when Sonic broke the awkward silence in the only way he saw appropriate. 

He cracked up.

"BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

"Shut up Sonic."

* * *

Airie agreed to let Sonic and Knuckles take her to the Thorndyke mansion, leaving her things behind . Airie was sick, so she didn't have that much of a say in the matter, since both of them said that the area often had landslides. Sonic followed behind while Knuckles picked her up 'bridal style', which caused Sonic to go into another chorus of 'Knuckles got a girlfriend!'. 

Knuckles stomped on his foot again. Airie, sick as she was, still gave him a death glare.

They finally arrived at the mansion. Sonic didn't even have to knock on the door. They already saw him coming.

"Sonikku! You're back!" Everyone's favorite pink hedgehog, Amy Rose, almost killed him in one of her 'Hugs of Death'. She noticed Knuckles standing right behind them, smirking at Sonic's pain. "Nakuruzu! You're here too? Aiieee! Who's that?" She gestured to Airie, who was starting to fall asleep. "Not sure." Knuckles replied. "But she's burning up. She needs a place to rest." Amy nodded. "Right. I'll get the others."

Airie heard Amy call for Tails, Cream, and Chris. She also saw what looked like the blurred shapes of Ella and Tanaka. Everything else went black after that.

* * *

Airie had been sick for one day. Every so often, Amy, Chris, or Sonic would come in to check on her. Sonic was annoying at times and kept asking where she was from, but it was still nice of him to check on her. Having another girl to talk to was even better, so Airie could talk to Amy a little more openly. Chris was a good kid. Airie never did understand why people hated him or referred to him as a 'Microsoft Fanboy'. (A/N: People I know do actually call him that!) She could relate to him because her parents were never around either. 

Still, she didn't tell them about where she was from or how she knew them. They'd just assume she's acting out of her sickness. Then again,Airie wouldn't need to either.

While she slept the day they brought her to the mansion, Chris's grandfather, Chuck, took a small strand of her hair. He hooked it up into one of his inventions (A/N: I dunno, you make it up) to check who she was and if she was telling the truth. He was shocked to see a human girl pop up on the screen. He did some more snooping. She had no birth record or anything like that in Station Square. This was not normal. Chuck then came to the conclusion.

* * *

The next night, Airie was regaining her strength little by little. Over the time she realized her hearing increased and she could see things farther of in the distance. Hardly enough to explain things, but a nice perk. Cream came in her room with Cheese. Although Airie had been in SA2's Chao Garden, she never thought she'd see one up close. Cream started to get sleepy and laid her head on Airie's lap. Airie smiled. 

'_I wonder… Is this what I was like, Mom?'_ she thought. She started to sing Cream to sleep, using her mother's lullaby. Cream smiled and Cheese used Airie's head as a pillow.

"The worlds are filled with desire...Their voices cry for freedom...Although as fate they will fade away...Thus sending them to salvation"

There was clapping coming from the door. Sonic was standing there, apparently after hearing Airie sing.

"Very nice, Keys." He said with a smirk. "I mean, 'Look out Kelly Clarkson'! Y'know, you could go pro, righ-"

Airie threw a foot stool and it hit Sonic straight in the face. "Just WHAT is wrong with you! Why were you watching me! Are you some kind of a stalker or something!" "Uh, w-well, you see…" "I can't belive you'd just sneak up on a girl like that! You're just lucky I couldn't reach that desk over there, you little cre-!"

Airie's new hearing her Sonic-bashing moment. She heard something that sounded like earth falling and the howl of a wolf.

"Airie? Airie? Hello? Earth calling Keys!"

Sonic's voice interrupted Airie's chain of thought. "The tent…" she gasped. "Huh? What about the tent?" asked a very confused hedgehog.

"There was…a landslide."

* * *

Sonic- Why did you make me look like some sick pervert? It's bad for my rep! 

K.O. - Because its fun to torture you!

Sonic- Fun for who?

K.O. – For all the Sonic torturers in the world!

Sonic- WHAT Sonic torturers! Everybody loves me!

K.O. - If they all love you then why is Shadow getting his own game AND a gun, huh? And why do theyall think he's cooler than you?

Sonic- Well I…aww, shaddup!

K.O. – See you next time people!


	4. I'll Tell You If I Can Choke You

K.O. – Its time to check the reviews! I have never done this before so you just know I'm gonna mess it up: D

Sonic- How can you be so happy when you just said you were going to screw up?

K.O. – Why don't I just hang your mantle over a rear-view mirror? I don't have the answers to everything!

_**Kiozona.pop**-_ It's true. They call Chris the 'Microsoft Fanboy'. They also think he's obsessed with the game 'Halo'.

**_MikomiTheKitsune_**- I'm so happy that I'm not the only one to hate 4Kids! They will RUE the day they messed with anime!

**_KivaEmber_**-Just like **_MikomiTheKitsune_**, I'm glad I'm not alone out there. Since Shadow will have a gun when his new game comes out, there's a pretty good chance there's gonna be a few bombs in there. 4Kids won't know what hit 'em, heh heh heh…. X )

**_PinkEmerald816_**- Thank you very much for your truthful opinion. This is my first time on a website like this, so I'm not very adjusted to the way things are done here when writing. Gomen!

Overall, thank you for taking the time to read my story. I know it may have sucked in the beginning, and that there are no 'matter of life and death' battles yet, BUT it will get better! …And if I'm lying may I be trampled by disgruntled 4Kids employees!

* * *

RECAP: Sonic's voice interrupted Airie's chain of thought. "The tent…" she gasped. "Huh? What about the tent?" asked a very confused hedgehog. 

"There was…a landslide."

* * *

Airie burst through the mansion door, Sonic right on her heels(A/N: He didn't go as fast because he didn't know where she was going). After she successfully made it back to the forest and started off to the clearing where she camped, she was sure saw something red off in the distance. Knuckles might have heard it too or he wouldn't be there. 

'_Don't get so worked up, crazy,"_ she reassured herself. _'It's just a gut-feeling anyway. It could always be wrong.'_ Then Airie remembered that she herself said that her gut-feelings were usually right. _'Aww, crap.'_

"Oh no!"

Just as Airie thought, there was Knuckles, standing in front of where the tent used to be. Now all that was there was freshly toppled dirt and rocks. The tip of tent was still visible, but just barely. Airie remembered everything that was still inside the tent, (A/N: You'd expect them to have gotten it all by now) including the picture of her mother.

"MOM!" she cried. Airie ran to the pile of dirt and franticly tried to dig, but no avail. "Airie get a hold of your self!" Sonic yelled. "I have to get Mom out!" she yelled back. "She's in pain!"

Airie felt a steady hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Knuckles. "I'm sure that your mother is fine." he said gently. "I think she's just glad that you weren't in that landslide. But now we need get you back to the mansion. You're getting sick again." "Wha-but I…" "If there's another landslide and you get hurt, your mother will only be in more pain." Airie sighed. Knuckles _did_ have a point. "Alright. I'll go back." She said at last.

* * *

Once they got back, Amy went in a 'over-protection' kind of mode. She was glad that they were back, mad at Airie for leaving while she was sick, worried that her fever went up again, and shocked that there was a landslide at her tent. 

Not that Airie blamed her.

Amy told her to sit down on the couch. In at least half a minute she Tails, Cream, Chris, Ella, and Tanaka were trying to find the medicine they gave Airie they day before. Strangely enough, it was very quiet. Airie figured this was as good a time as any to tell them the truth.

"Guys," she said meekly. "I have something I want to say. It's about where I'm from and how I knew you all."

"Alright. Then tell us about your home. Your home that doesn't exist on this Earth."

Chuck had come down from the stairs. Just as Airie, he thought now was the best time for the truth. Airie was shocked. "You knew?" she asked. "No." he said simply. "Not for sure anyway. But you said yourself that you weren't exactly from around here. I did some searching, and found that this isn't even your real form. In fact, I don't your real name is even Airie Keys!"

"Um…What are you talking about?" Airie wasn't sure what he meant by 'not your real name'. "Simple. I have all your information right here." Chuck placed a sheet of paper in front of Airie. As she read it, she got those weird anime eyes people get when they're surprised. (A/N: If you read InuYasha you'll know what I'm talking about.) The picture at the top was a 19-year-old blonde girl with hazel eyes.

"So Ms. Hilary Duff," Chuck said confidently. "Would you care to explain?"

Airie looked at him oddly for a moment, and then said:

"Can I choke you?"

"What? Don't be silly!"

"Not even just a little bit?"

* * *

After Chuck got a good smack on the head, Airie explained everything, from how she knew them to how she got there. About AoSTH, SaTAM, Sonic Underground, The Sonic Comic from Archie, the video games, the movie, and of course Sonic X. She wasn't sure exactly how or why she was there, but since she saw something blue pass by before she got there, she guessed Sonic was going so fast it might have caused some kind of passage or something. Tails said it wasn't possible, but Chuck thought otherwise. Before when he she Airie's home wasn't from Earth, he meant a _different_ Earth. He said that while he was checking on Airie and found no Station Square birth record, he thought it was possible. If Sonic did create a 'dimensional rift', he said that hissuspicions wereconfirmed andthat Airie was telling the truth. 

Everyone just stayed quiet for a minute, until Airie broke the silence once more, saying that she was going to sleep. But before she went up the stairs, she said one last thing:

"If my presence here causes any of you get hurt, I'd gladly take the blame."

* * *

K.O. – Well, it's that time again. Time for a CLIFFHANGER! -happily dodges flying knives- 

Sonic- I still don't get how you can be so happy about having knives thrown at you.

K.O. – And still I don't get why you don't just accept the fact that Shadow is hotter and that Sonic torturers really exist!

Sonic-Shaddup!

K.O. – Until next time people!


	5. Come Home Safe'

K.O. - This may just be the shortest chapter yet!

Sonic- Then what's the point of even doing one review?

K.O. – Because I got a new reader, perv!

Sonic- I'M NOT A PERV!

K.O. – Not according to the third chapter!

**_Kai-senpai_**- You are my newest reader up to date! And just so you know, I have read your stories. All of them very funny!

* * *

RECAP: Everyone just stayed quiet for a minute, until Airie broke the silence once more, saying that she was going to sleep. But before she went up the stairs, she said one last thing:

"If my presence here causes any of you to get hurt, I'd gladly take the blame."

* * *

It was at least past midnight, and Amy couldn't sleep. She kept thinking about Airie and everything that had happened. It was crazy and hard to believe, but she could tell that Airie was telling the truth. Sometimes a girl just knows these things.

But Amy couldn't wait till morning to talk to Airie about this. She climbed out of her bed and into the hall towards Airie's room.

She slowly opened the door, just in case Airie was sleeping. Lucky for her she wasn't.

Airie had opened the window in her room all the way and was sitting on the sill, staring at the night sky. She must have heard Amy coming, because once she entered the room, Airie got off the sill to greet her visitor. She had a sad smile on her face and was crying a steady stream of tears.

"Can't sleep?" she said simply. "Airie is something wrong?" Amy asked. "Not really." Airie said. "It just happened again. I guess I should be used to it by now, though." "What happened again?" Amy asked again. Airie sighed. "Again. I lost my home again." Amy felt sad for her other-worldly friend. "You must have had a really hard life so far." She placed a hand on Airie's shoulder. "Tell me about it." Airie nodded her head. She wanted to get this off her chest for a long time.

" 'Come home safe.' Why couldn't I just tell her that?" Airie asked herself.

"After my father died, my mother started working more so she could pay for everything. To help her out, I got work at a hotel as a custodian. Once before, I thought that maybe I should just quit school and work full time. But Mom always said the same thing:"

"_I was never able to go to high school." She said. "I only graduated from junior high. So I want you to stay there. I want you to finish school, so you can tell me what it feels like to hold that diploma in your hand."_

"I promised her I would do that for her. It was the only thing she ever asked me to do for her. But I think, because of that promise she…well you see, one day, the day that she-um...y'know…_died_-I had to study for my school finals, and I overslept. That was the one day I forgot to tell her 'Come home safe'. And just like that, she was gone."

"_I can't believe finals are really over!" said a happy Airie. "I have a feeling things are gonna get a lot better now!" said one of her friends. "Yes, although I think I failed all my tests. But the re-tests are always easier." another friend said with a gleam on he face. "You should be worried. I mean, you say that like you're proud of it…" her first friend said._

_Unknown to Airie and her classmates, one of the principal's assistants had come in to talk to Airie's teacher. With a dread and uncertain look, he called Airie over. "Miss Keys, could you come here for a minute?"_

"_Huh? I wonder what he wants…" Airie said. "He probably just wants to congratulate you on a job well done!" "Ha! I wish!" She walked over to her teacher while her friends watched. They saw her tense up at his words. Airie ran out of the room with the school assistant._

"_Airie? Airie! Airie what's wrong!" her friend called. "Airie has left due to a family matter." the teacher explained. "What are you talking about?" "Airie's mother is in the hospital." "What? Why!" "A car crash."_

"It never occurred to me that someone so strong could be taken away so easily." Airie finished. "But I still can't help but feel a little guilty about it all." "I…I'm so sorry Airie. I didn't know." Amy said. "It's not your fault, silly. Just thanks for hearing me out." "No problem."

Amy yawned, which caused Airie to chuckle a little. "It's late. You should get some rest." Airie said. "Okay. G'night." Amy said as she walked out of the room.

Amy saw someone standing there. She sighed and said, "Were you listening to that, Knuckles?"

Knuckles solemnly nodded. "You'd never guess that she's been through so much tragedy." he said. "How can she still smile like that?" Amy shrugged. "Who knows? But at least she hasn't given up her hope yet." Knuckles nodded again and then walked off.

"Where are you going?" Amy asked. "Her things were still in that tent when the landslide hit." he said. "I'm going to go get them out." Amy sighed. She knew she couldn't stop him. "Alright. Just be careful." Knuckles smirked. "You won't need to worry about that."

* * *

K.O. – Hmm…I thought it would be pretty short. Oh wellies! What can you do at times like this?

Sonic- Cliffhanger?

K.O. - Exactly! –dodges rapid weasels thrown by reader- Goodbye for now!


	6. On Silent Wings Part 1

K.O. – Oh no, **_AnimeHaven_**, you're right. It IS like Fruits Basket. I base some of my work on anime I watch and video games I play. I'm weird like that. PH34R MY WI3RDN3SS! –gets odd looks- Well anyway, Airie will finally learn how to fly and fight in this 2-part chapter!

Sonic- Why would she fly?

K.O. – Well if she wasn't supposed to I wouldn't have given her wings now would I?

* * *

RECAP: "Where are you going?" Amy asked. "Her things were still in that tent when the landslide hit." he said. "I'm going to go get them out." Amy sighed. She knew she couldn't stop him. "Alright. Just be careful." Knuckles smirked. "You won't need to worry about that."

* * *

Airie had a restless night. She kept tossing and turning in her sleep, because of her dream.

"_Mom? Mom!"_

_Airie had found her mother under a wisteria tree. "Mom…what should I do? I don't know how to protect myself and I don't know how to get home. I…I'm scared Mom._

_Her mother chuckled a little, her long hair blowing. "Just be yourself. You'll be fine." She said. "You're the person who can believe, in yourself and in others. You have to do that here as well." Her mother started to fade away. "Wait Mom!"_

"_Airie, be someone who can believe." She said. "I'm sure that…will be your greatest strength."_

Airie shot her eyes open, where they met a pair of emerald eyes very close to hers.

"Morning Sleeping Beauty!" Sonic said grinning.

Sonic then received several whacks to his head.

"It serves you right you know!" Airie yelled. "I thought after yesterday you'd know better then not to spy on girls!" "I just came in to see how you were doing…" Sonic sniffed with fake sadness. "But I guess you're fine." "I was fine before you woke me up." Airie said plainly. "I was having a really nice dream about my mom and-" "Your mom?" Sonic asked. "You mean the person in the picture over there?"

Airie looked over at her nightstand. There was her only picture of her mother, smiling as always. All her other things were there too. "Wha…?" Airie stammered But how did it…?"

"Knuckles came back really late with all this stuff. He said it belonged to you." Sonic explained. "Seemed pretty worried 'bout you." 'Then why didn't he tell me he got my things?" Sonic shrugged. "Who knows? The old Knuxster has his reasons. He can be pretty weird like that." 'Do you know where he is now?" Airie wanted to thank him. Badly. "He said something about going to see some guy. What was his name again? Eagle? Sparrow? Pigeon? Condor?" Sonic kept going like this for a while, but Airie, knowing who it was, already left. (A/N: You know who it is?)

Airie had to get to that city where Knuckles was. As far as she could tell, he was somewhere outside of Station Square. But there was just one little problem.

She couldn't fly.

She had always figured that if she came to Sonic's world like this, she just know how to fly naturally.

Too bad things aren't like that in real life.

Yet in the world of a hyperactive teen, anything is possible.

And with that, she was off to Tails. If anyone could help her with flying, it was him.

* * *

"You want me to what now?" 

Tails was having a hard time accepting the fact that Airie wanted him to teach her how to fly. How would he know how to fly with wings when he used his tech and tails?

"I know it sudden…" Airie said hopefully. "But I really need to learn how. Please!" Tails thought about this. He did read some books about how birds fly, and Airie's wings were nearly the same. What could it hurt?

"Alright, I'll help-AIIEEE!"

At the sound of 'alright' Airie had pulled him into a hug. And a painful one at that. Soon Tails was unconscious.

Some help he was.

"Tails? Tails! TAILS WAKE UP!" Airie had started to shake him hard. No luck. Airie groaned, but while doing so she noticed some books Tails had for flying. _'I guess it's up to me now!' _she thought.

* * *

Airie's first few tries at flying were not very good. She tried it on the roof, jumping off, spreading her wings, then flapping rapidly. 

Like that'll work.

She tried to remember how Rouge and Cream flew. They were on the ground or some flat surface. They pushed themselves up with their wings/ears. Airie thought it was worth a shot.

She got back down on the ground and spread her wings. She flapped them and nudged her feet a little. Just in time for a gust of wind. And before she knew it, she was flying.

"Man this is COOL!" she yelled with glee. Flying was an amazing feeling, like there was nothing below or above, just her and the clouds.

Unfortunately, the feeling ended soon when Airie realized the most important part of flying.

"Uh…how do I land?" she asked no one.

* * *

Sonic- That's TWICE you made me look like a perv! 

K.O. – Oh, you're just mad because it's true!

Sonic- ITS NOT TRUE!

K.O. – Alrighty, people. Chapters will be coming slower because I'm back in school. I need to get an A in one class for my dad. An iPod is on the line here! -goes into iPod rantinguntil randomreader slaps me-That was wierd...Well, see you then!


	7. On Silent Wings Part 2

K.O. – I'd like to announce now that once my OCs are in I'd be glad to take the ones of others. I can't guarantee that I can put them in, but if I'm able fit them in the story line, you might just see yours here.

Sonic- Why would you want OCs? I think they're pretty stupid.

K.O. & Random OCs- DIIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!

Sonic- -little girlie scream-

K.O. – Oh , before I go on my Sonic-hurting rampage, I'm sorry to say that this will no longer be a 2-part chappie, but a 3-part! GOMEN GOMEN GOMEN! I can't squish things together that well!

* * *

RECAP: "Man this is COOL!" she yelled with glee. Flying was an amazing feeling, like there was nothing below or above, just her and the clouds.

Unfortunately, the feeling ended soon when Airie realized the most important part of flying.

"Uh…how do I land?" she asked no one.

* * *

'_Greaaat. Just great. I'm stuck up in the sky, have no idea how to get back to Station Square, and I don't know how to land!'_

Airie was not happy with her current predicament.

I bet a lot of you are going "No duh Sherlock." at me right now.

In that case, "Sorry Watson."

'_Think Airie, think!' _she repeated in her mind. _'How does Rouge land again? She always folds her wings a little, then aims her feet at the ground.'_ Airie shrugged. _'Meh, Rouge got me this far.'_ So Airie did what Rouge did.

Of course, it worked.

'_5 points for me.'_ Airie thought.

She screwed that last thought though. Her wings gave out, and she did some sort of aerial dive. Looked something like a disfigured flamingo.

'_WHY ALWAYS ME?' _she screamed in her head.

Thankfully, she landed on something soft, yet not without a loud thud. She took a minute to take in her surroundings. Gray buildings, a canal, street merchants…

"Sweet! I'm in that city!" she squealed with glee. "Now all I have to do is find Knuckles! But, where do I find him?"

"Maybe you should try looking beneath you." said an all too familiar voice. Airie looked down. The soft thing she landed on was red.

"Just what kind of grudge do you have against my back?" Knuckles said.

* * *

Airie explained that she was only trying to thank Knuckles for finding her things for her, yet he only replied with grunts and saying that now he had to take care of her and find Hawk. (A/N 10,000 points to the people who guessed correctly in the last chappie!).

When she tried to tell him he was falling into a trap, he only said this:

"Look, girl; I don't buy your 'I'm-from-an-alternate-reality-and-you're-a-T.V.-show' act one little bit. As far as I can tell, Chuck's machine was either on the fritz or you're just insane. And I have to protect you know because I know you can't fight."

Airie was having a hard time believing what she was hearing. She was shocked, confused, slightly nauseas, and PISSED AS HELL.

But mostly pissed.

You're all doing the Sherlock thing again. Don't deny it.

Yet, Airie didn't show it. But she needed a comeback. And a good one. Could she say she knew how to fight? She had watched anime that had fighting in it, but she could never copy the moves perfectly. Except for one though. But would Knuckles buy it? _'May as well do it.'_ she thought. "I'll have you know I've mastered the art of…Champloo!" Knuckles gave her an odd look. "And just what is 'Champloo'?" he said. "It's a style of bushido. You need a weapon for it, preferably a sword." Knuckles took a moment to think about this. Airie had hope in his gullibility. Or at least she tried to.

"…Fine. Just c'mon." he said at last. Airie's smile couldn't get bigger. And inside her head, she praised Mugen from Samurai Champloo for making that style, and promised that she would do her best to understand the story line. She snapped out of her trance and went after Knuckles.

* * *

They reached the bar where Hawk was held captive. While Airie followed Knuckles, she pondered is it was alright for animal minors to enter. That and if she made the right choice. Yet again someone stopped her thoughts when one of the drunkies smirked said, "Hey, who let the animals in?" Knuckles got mad, what else would he do? "What did you say to me?" he glowered. Airie stopped him. "Knuckles, he's not worth it. Let's just do our job and find Hawk." He thought about it, but gave in. When the started walking again the drunkie said, "That's right! Listen to your girlfriend!"

This time Airie snapped. But you couldn't tell from the way she looked.

She calmly walked back over to the table, proud and with a broad smile on her face, not saying a word. "What do you want?" the drunkie said. She let out a small chuckle, raised her fist, and slammed it into the table, and it broke in half!

The drunkie let out a frightened scream, and he and some others ran out yelling, "SHE'S A MANIAC!" and "RUN FOR THE HILLS!". Knuckles walked up to her. He had no idea a girl could ever punch that hard and make really tough men scream and run. "Didn't that hurt your wrist?" he said still in shock. Airie smiled. "Nah! I've slammed my fists into computers my friend made of roof tiles and chewing gum, and through a foot stool at Sonic's head! I've grown used to it by this point."

"Hey, you mind not scaring away my customers?"

The turned to the bartender. Airie recognized him as the one who kidnapped Hawk. "I heard you say you were looking for Hawk. I know where he is. I can take you to him, if you like." Before Knuckles could say 'yes' Airie grabbed him and said, "Could you excuse us for a minute?" She pulled him over in a corner.

'What are you doing!' Knuckles whispered. 'Saving you the trouble of falling down a pit into a jail cell!' Airie whispered back. 'Look, I don't know and don't care what you're trying to pull but it won't work!' Airie stopped. She knew he'd have to find out for himself before he believed her. 'Fine. Just one more thing.'

Before Knuckles could ask, Airie walked over to the bartender's table, where two 'men' wearing overcoats sat. They didn't hear her coming. She grabbed their coats and tore them off, revealing two very shocked Bocoe and Docoe!

They 'ummed' and uhhed' nervously. Airie just said, "Better luck next time, fellas!" And with that they ran out.

So she turned her head to a once again shocked Knuckles. "So, shall we go?" she said.

* * *

Sonic- -as a human lantern- SOMEONE HELP MEEEE!

Random OCs- NOT A CHANCE!

K.O. – Sorry for making this a three part. My own ending words make the chappie four pages, where as my normal page limit is 3. So once again, GOMEN!


	8. On Silent Wings Part 3

K.O. – Today, the chapter will start from Eggman's POV. Why? He has to pop up at some point!

Sonic- Why here? Why can't it be when I'm there?

K.O. - Let's go to the reviews!

Sonic-ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?

**_Shadowkiller27_**- I will be putting Water Tails in, but in a different sort of way. I'll need your e-mail to give you the details. And I'm currently reading your LoG story.

Sonic- HELLO?

**_Carolyn The Hedgehog_**- Thanks a lot for the OC!

Sonic- HEY!

**_My Pen Name Is… _**- Just plain and simple- thankies!

Sonic- LISTEN TO ME!

**_welsh-duel-champ_**- You must have somehow read my mind, because later on I was going to ask who you guys want Airie to end up with! If you don't want others to see your opinion, just e-mail it to me. I don't mind! But just one thing…SHADOW IS NOT AN OPTION! REPEAT! SHADOW IS NOT AN OPTION! –gets trampled and killed by Angry Shadow Fans-

Sonic- SALVATION!

A.S.F.s - -gives Sonic the death glare-

Sonic- -shuts up-

* * *

RECAP: Before Knuckles could ask, Airie walked over to the bartender's table, where two 'men' wearing overcoats sat. They didn't hear her coming. She grabbed their coats and tore them off, revealing two very shocked Bocoe and Docoe!

They 'ummed' and uhhed' nervously. Airie just said, "Better luck next time, fellas!" And with that they ran out.

So she turned her head to a once again shocked Knuckles. "So, shall we go?" she said.

* * *

Eggman sat working on his new robot. What else is new? He was sweating due to not being able to connect some wires to a partical excelerator which hooked into the memory card. (A/N: I had no idea what I was writing there so if you're confused…SO AM I!) He needed to get them hooked up just right, which meant nothing could distract him. Especially something loud.

"DR.EGGMAN! DR.EGGMAN!"

Distraction for Eggman. Yay.

Eggman let out a bone-chilling growl as sparks flew in front of his face. "YOU IDIOTS! THIS HAD BETTER BE GOOD!" Bocoe and Docoe faced their master. "It is sir! Really important!" Bocoe squealed. "We've located the Hawk person, as you instructed, but..." "Yes..? Eggmann said with impatience. "Knuckles was there! He must know about the Chaos Emerald!" Docoe bursted. Eggman rubbed his forehead. This did not go along the plan very well. Bocoe continued. "Also, he had another with him, a blue girl with wings. She somehow knew we were there and blew our cover!" This grabbed Eggman's attention. Sure, their disguises were not very good, but they should have worked. He kept his head to the ground, then raised with a smirk. "We'll just see how our old friend Knuckles can deal with the new experiment. As for the girl, she may have some vital information for wining against Sonic!" He turned his head back to Bocoe and Docoe.

"Bocoe, go ready the EggCarier!"  
"Yes Doctor!"  
"And Docoe!"  
"Yes Doctor?"  
Eggman grinned at his new robot. "Go into town and find a computer program for me. Its labeled 'Bushido For Dummies'.

* * *

"Don't say it…"  
"Y'know, not to say I told you so, but…"  
"Don't you dare say it…"  
"I TOLD YOU SO!"

Knuckles and Airie were in the cell. Airie was on top of Knuckles. The bartender, whom Airie's self-conscience dubbed Steve-O, had led them down the hallway the lead through the trap door. Knuckles fell through first with Airie behind him. She knew what was happening so she wasn't fazed. In fact, she kept the same expression the whole time! Arms crossed, mouth closed, eyes shut. The very popular 'you've-really-pissed-me-off-buddy' look. When Knuckles saw the end of the tunnel he stopped himself to be sure if was safe, but Airie hadn't moved her feet from their standing position, so she kicked him in the back and landed on him. Yes. Again. She seems to be doing that a lot lately.

They had met up with Hawk, who asked why they were here. Airie stole Knuckles' line and said "Oh, just felt like dropping in!" Knuckles grumbled a "Get off me."

Knuckles and Hawk then began talking about the Chaos Emerald. It went into how Knuckles only wanted the Chaos Emeralds so he could go home. He didn't really like his job, but knew it was important. He said he just spent time watching the emerald and dreaming. But Airie knew he mostly dreamed.

Speaking of which, where is Airie?

She was looking around the walls trying to find the bug. This was a favorite episode of hers, and if she knew it, which she did, Steve-O was listening. She thought maybe he didn't put it there…until her hand brushed against it!

She let out a small 'Alright!' and wondered how to get rid of it.

Unfortunately, she had been so busy trying to find the dang bug she had completely stopped listening to Knuckles' and Hawk's conversation. They had gotten to the point where Hawk was about to tell him where the Chaos Emerald was!

"It's this big red jewel, and it lets out a weird glow every so often." Hawk said. "That's a Chaos Emerald alright." Knuckles said.

"Yeah and I have it hidden in a place no one would look for it!"  
"Where!"  
"Its-UGH!  
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"  
"Airie what are you doing!"

Airie had quickly clamped her mouth over Hawk's mouth, who was trying to scramble away from the hedgechidna's grasp. "Airie let him go!" Knuckles yelled. "He was just about to tell me where-" "I know." Airie gritted through her teeth. "And we can't know it here." "What are you talking about?" "Think about it Knuckles: We fell down a trap into a jail cell, we have no ways of getting out, and we don't even know what we were captured for! OK, well I do, but that's not the point!" She dropped her voice down. "For all we know they could've planted a bug in the cell!" She let Knuckles take this in.

"That's ridiculous! Why would they-" Knuckles stopped himself when he noticed that Airie was gesturing her head to the wall where the bug was. Then he nodded and said, "Now that I think about it, that idea doesn't seem as crazy as you made it sound." Airie rolled her eyes. "Oh, hear this coming from the guy who talks to himself and a giant rock all day."

* * *

In another room, Steve-O was listening to the two bicker. He wondered why they stopped talking about the jewel and why it got so quiet. He turned up the volume and listened to them, waiting for someone to spill. (A/N: Guess who's saying what.)

"Hey, at least I don't think I'm from an alternate reality."  
"Maybe you would if you were in my place."  
"Maybe your wings are too big for you to handle."  
"Shut up. Honestly, what does my friend see in you?"  
"Just help me find the bug."  
"I'VE BEEN TRYING TO!"

The last part made Steve-O fall out of his chair. And back in the cell, they heard a screeching noise come from the bug. Airie turned to Knuckles. "If you'd do the honors." She said pointing to the bug. Knuckles smirked and cracked his fists.

* * *

Sonic- I'M FREE! I'M FREE! I'M FREEEEE!

A.S.F.s- -realizing that if they ever want to see who Airie ends up with and if they ever want to see Sonic get hit with a footstool again, resurrect K.O.-

Sonic- NOOOOOOOO!

K.O. – Well, that's all for now. I have to hurt Sonic now for thinking he was free! -grabs chainsaw-


	9. I Will Listen

K.O. – Welcome back! Now that my life-and-death experience from the last chapter is over, time for the next part!

Sonic- -weeping- Why couldn't the A.S.F.s have just left you dead?

K.O. – First off, they're the Happy Shadow Fans now! And they brought me back because I agreed to add a ShadowAirie romance thing-a-ma-jig when the time comes! Right, guys?

H.S.F.s – RIGHT!

Sonic- WHY ME?

K.O. – Just a quick note people. I don't remember this episode word for word, so things might be done differently. If this is a favorite episode of yours and its messed up, don't blame me. Blame my dang memory span!

* * *

RECAP: The last part made Steve-O fall out of his chair. And back in the cell, they heard a screeching noise come from the bug. Airie turned to Knuckles. "If you'd do the honors." She said pointing to the bug. Knuckles smirked and cracked his fists.

* * *

Two of Steve-O's henchmen came running to their cell. They were shocked when they found they only thing there was a giant hole in the wall. 

One said to the other, "Will our salaries cover the damages?"  
The other shook his head. "Not in this lifetime."

* * *

Airie, Knuckles, and Hawk were able to safely get out of the cell and back to Hawk's house. Hawk led the way for Knuckles, but Airie flew on ahead. She did know where everything was and what was going to happen, after all, and she at least wanted to get better at flying. Knuckles, not wanting to get crushed again, was against the idea, yet he didn't really have a choice. Airie flew up before he could say anything. She had gotten better, and flying felt more natural to her now, like she had been doing it all her life. 

By the time Hawk and Knuckles reached his house, Airie was leaning against the door, waiting for Hawk to unlock it.

Once inside, Knuckles did his self hatred thing, Hawk looked confused, and Airie just slumped against a wall. At least she knew that for the moment, they were safe. She looked around at her surroundings. Hawk was sort of a pack rat; his house was filled with all the things he collected. Do he do find things because they had some sort of background, or merely because they looked cool? We may never know.

She heard a weird rattling above her. She looked over and saw Knuckles leaning against a wall under the shelf. The shelf's support screws were coming off. It would only be a matter of time.

"Hey Knuckles" she said causally. "Incoming." Knuckles turned. "What are you-" He never got the chance to finish, due to the shelf crashing on his head. The small, barely audible coconut-like sound at the collision secretly delighted Airie.

Serves him right, not taking a girl's advice.

Knuckles rubbed his head. Whatever was on the shelf was heavy. Very heavy. And very painful. He looked down and saw something wrapped up. He picked it up and unfolded it. Airie watched him. This was a good part.

"The Shovel Claw!" Knuckles exclaimed. "But how did they get here?" "Those things are yours?" Hawk asked. "I found 'em by a ruin a few days ago!" Knuckles smiled as he equipped the Shovel Claws, knowing he could use them. Airie rolled her eyes once more. If she were still an 11-year-old, she'd be going crazy at that smile. Thankfully she wasn't, or she'd be some kind of Amy Rose clone, only she would be the one who chases Knuckles. (A/N:Get the ideas out of your headsoff people!) When she rolled her eyes, they landed on something next too Knuckles' feet. They were two, large, thin, white discs with weird writing on them. In curiosity, she went over and picked then up.

"Hmm…Chakrams." She shrugged. "Well, its better than having NO weapon at all." "Hey, I don't even remember finding those!" Hawk said. "You must have, otherwise how would they be here?" Knuckles asked.

While they talked about her newly found weapon, Airie stared at the writing. She didn't really know what was stranger: the fact that she knew how to use them, or that the text on them seemed very familiar. (A/N: REMEMBER THAT!)

And with Shovel Claw and Chakram in tow, Hawk led them to the Chaos Emerald.

* * *

Hawk had hidden the Emerald in a downed subway. Under one track, he pulled out a small bag. He opened it and tossed out the Emerald! 

"This is perfect!" Knuckles said as Hawk handed him the jewel. "One step closer to going home."

"That's what you think!"

The turned around to see where the voice came from. (A/N: $20 says it's Eggman.)

"Eggman, what are you doing here?" Knuckles yelled. (A/N: Pay up.) "I'm merely here to retrieve the Chaos Emerald. And to test out my latest invention!"

As he spoke, a feminine looking robot came out of the shadows. Its head and most of its body was covered in purple armor. Airie knew that armor very well.

"The Lady Ninja." she said. Eggman smirked. "Oh ho! Bocoe and Docoe were right! You ARE very knowledgeable! So tell me little girl, just how DO you know this?" Now, when most 15-year-old girls hear someone calling them a 'little girl', they're bound to say something just as insulting back. Airie is no exception. Of course she had the perfect comeback. "Well, why don't you just tell me why you're so fat, you giant bucket of lard!"

Knuckles craked up a little.Eggman got a huge anger vein. "Grr! How dare you! Lady Ninja! ATTACK!"

The Lady Ninja jumped up in the air. No matter how many times Knuckles or Airie swung at it, it always avoided the punch. A few times, Knuckles tried digging into the ground, back the L.N. always caught him before he could. Suddenly the whole place started to rumble. Airie then realized that the subway was about to cave in!

"Knuckles! Hawk! We have to get out of here now!" she yelled. Hawk got the message and headed for the ladder, but Knuckles just said he had to go back for the emerald, which he lost in the fight. "We can't leave it behind!" he said. "No! Just leave it!" Airie grabbed both his arms and forced him out.

Once outside and out of the way of Eggman, Knuckles went berserk on Airie. "WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR? I COULD HAVE GRABBED THAT EMERALD BUT YOU WOULDN'T LET ME! WHY DID I EVEN LET YOU COME ALONG! I KNEW YOU WOULD BE TROUBLE!"

Airie couldn't take him yelling at her anymore. So she did what only made sense to do at the time. She yelled back.

"LOOK! I WAS ONLY TRYING TO SAVE YOUR SORRY LIFE BACK THERE! YOU ONLY CARED ABOUT WAS THAT STUPID EMERALD MORE THAN IT! WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO! LET YOU DIE!"

Now she was in tears. Knuckles was stunned. And Hawk was still confused.

"ALL I WANTED TO DO IS HELP YOU! BUT JUST HOW THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO THAT WHEN YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN TOONE DAMN THING I HAVE TO SAY! ANSWER ME THAT!"

Airie was shaking violently. Every part of her body wanted nothing more to do with this. Not if she was going to be treated like this. Knuckles still stared at her, like he had just been slapped multiple times across the face. He turned his head away. And almost in a whisper, he said "I'll listen."

Her head perked up. "Wha…What did you say?" This time his head was turned to hers and he spoke louder. "I'll listen to what you have to say. Just…stop crying, alright?"

She couldn't believe it. '_Knuckles is…apologizing? To me? To the person he only sees as a pest? No…wait, he sees everyone as pests. Aww, snap out of it Airie! He said he'll listen! Now's your chance to prove yourself!'_

Airie wiped the remaining tears from her face. "Alright," she said calmly. "You just have to dig right here. The Emerald is beneath it all. I'll show you where." Knuckles nodded and started digging. Airie turned to Hawk. "We'll need you to stand guard Hawk." Hawk nodded, the shock not leaving his face. By that time Knuckles had finished digging, and Airie jumped down the small hole he left.

* * *

"So…you're sure its here?"  
"Yep."  
"You're sure?"  
"Yep."  
"Positive?"  
"Knuckles, no matter how many times you ask, I'm always gonna say 'Yep'." 

Knuckles and Airie were standing in front of a pile of rubble. Apparently, due to the earthquake, the Chaos Emerald was buried even deeper under the subway remains.

"Well, you know what to do." Airie said. Knuckles started digging once again. It didn't take as long as the first one, because after two powerful swipes he found it. He looked at it for a second, then gave it to Airie. "You hold on to it." he said. Airie blushed slightly due to the responsibility just handed to her. "Wh-why me?" she stammered. Knuckles looked at her oddly. "Because you have pockets." he said plainly. "Oh! Right." Airie said

When they got back up, Hawk was gone, and in his place was everyone's favorite pain in the neck next to Omochao, Bokkun. (A/N: Just for the record, I really like Bokkun.) In his hands was one of his famous exploding televisions. "Message from Dr. Eggman!" he said as he set down the T.V. Eggman's face appeared on screen. "Hello again." He said.

"Hey LardButt, who's it goin'?" Airie cracked. Eggman now had an anger vein the size of the computer I'm writing this on. Which is pretty big. But he shook it off, and his evil smirk came back. "Right to the point, you have something I want…" he pointed to the Chaos Emerald. "…And I have something you want!" Behind the screen, Hawk was tied up. Airie's face didn't change, were as Knuckles growled. "Let Hawk go. He doesn't have anything to do with this!" Eggman's smirk was getting very annoying. "I'll tell you what: Give me the Chaos Emerald TONIGHT and I'll let you have your friend back. Goodbye!" The screen clicked off and Bokkun started laughing.

"Ha ha! You have to give up the emerald!" he yelled in a sing-song way. "Yeah, but you know: that won't help with that bruise on your head." Airie said. "Huh? What bruise?" Bokkun said. "This one." Airie threw the T.V. at Bokkun's head, which caused him to fly backwards into the sky. When he was far enough that they couldn't se him, the T.V. exploded.

"Nice throw." Knuckles commented. "But how are we going to save Hawk AND keep the Emerald?" Airie sighed. "Let's head back to Hawk's house. Then I'll fill you in."

* * *

Later that night, they were on the roof, waiting for Eggman. Or rather, Knuckles was. As part of the plan they devised, Airie had to remain hidden until the right moment. 

The EggCarrier soon hovered over head, Egman inside. The Lady Ninja scaled the building walls and landed gracefully on the roof. Hawk was dangling from an iron frame on the next building over.

"Well, if it isn't Knucklehead." Eggman jeered. "You know the deal. Give me the Chaos Emerald, and your friend here won't get hurt." Knuckles looked at the Emerald glowing brightly in his hand one last time, and walked over to the L.N., which extended its hand. Eggman watched closely to make sure he wouldn't do anything funny.

Right before Knuckles placed the Emerald in the robot's hand, he pulled it back and smirked. "Y'know Eggman, we can't have much of a deal when you can't keep up your end of it." Eggman looked puzzled. "What are you talking about?" He turned around. "Your friend is right-WHAT!" The rope where Hawk used to be was cut in half.

Both Eggman and the L.N. were distracted. Knuckles took this chance to fight back. He swung his fist and sent the L.N. flying. It quickly got up ready to fight. Knuckles just hoped that Airie and Hawk could get out safely.

* * *

K.O – Phew! 5 whole pages! I've REALLY gone over my limit! But still, one must wonder why its taking so long just to get through one episode. 

Sonic- Yeah, why is that?

K.O. – DO NOT QUESTION MY AUTHORITY! –takes outhuge falmethrower- HA HA! PH34RT3H FL4M37HROW3R OF DOOM!

Sonic- W-Where d-did you g-et t-t-that?

K.O. SILENCE NON-L337 ONE! –starts shooting-

Sonic- AHHH! MY EYES! IT BURNS!


	10. Enter The Spirit Of Water

K.O. – Why is it taking me so dang long to finish one episode!

Sonic- School?

K.O. – You're right for once!

Sonic- Of course I'm-HEY!

K.O. – NOTE TIME! I'm doing my friend a favor. Please read her Sonic and Finding Nemo stories. Otherwise she'll be forced to chase you with a rusty pitchfork!

Wolf Tracks- 2566352

New Fish On The Block- 2566302

They're both really good! I recommend them both!

* * *

RECAP: Both Eggman and the L.N. were distracted. Knuckles took this chance to fight back. He swung his fist and sent the L.N. flying. It quickly got up ready to fight. Knuckles just hoped that Airie and Hawk could get out safely.

* * *

Somewhere on another building, a pure white bat watched the fight. She looked down and saw Airie running with Hawk in the opposite direction. She shrugged.

"Well, since I'm so nice, I won't get in their way!" Rouge smiled. And with that she flew off. (A/N: She's not being nice, she's being evil!)

* * *

Airie had made sure Hawk was in a safe place before returning to the fight. It had left the roof and was now on the busy streets on the city. The L.N. had begun its blocking technique again. Knuckles was losing, both the fight and his energy. He couldn't take much more.

Airie flew overhead and did a kick drop. The L.N. avoided it with ease. Then it pulled out a small arrow-head knife. (A/N: I don't know what you call those things so let's stick with that) Without thinking, Airie pulled out her chakrams and threw them like Frisbees. The L.N. dodged them both, and both her chakrams came back to her. It threw its knife at Airie dead-on. She jumped out of the way in time, but received a small cut on the cheek from the blade. She pressed a finger against it. Sure enough, there was a small bit of blood.

"It cut me." she said. "This might just be harder than I thought."

Airie delivered kick after kick, punch after punch. The L.N. did its best to avoid, but after some time it began to grow tired itself. Knuckles, by that time, he regained his strength. He and Airie landed some good ones on it, denting its metal skin. They continued until it finally hit the ground.

"I guess it's over then." Knuckles said. Airie looked at the robot one more time, then nodded her head in agreement. They started walking back, but a crash stopped them in their tracks. The L.N. only pretended to be defeated. It was all fake. In a blur of purple, it jumped up towards them and grabbed Airie, its metallic arm wrapped tight around her neck. It held its knife very close to her. Airie tried to struggle, but its grip only got tighter.

Knuckles and Airie both realized to save Airie they had to give up the Chaos Emerald. He reluctantly walked over, but Airie had a different plan in mind. She was going to show Knuckles just how effective the Champloo style could be.

She dropped to the floor, her back on the ground. She did that spinny-ground break dancing move (A/N: What Is that thing called?) while kicking the robot with her legs. The robot was sent flying overhead, and Airie brought herself to her feet.

"Was that…that Champloo style you told me about?" Knuckles asked in awe. Airie didn't answer. When she didn't answer, he turned around and saw her sniffing. "I love you Samurai Champloo…!" she cried with glee. Her moment of pure otaku-ness was cut short, due to the fact that the L.N. had risen again. This time, it went straight for Knuckles, knocking him out.

"KNUCKLES!" Airie yelled. Before she could reach him, the L.N. came over, nudged his unconscious body with its foot, and grabbed the Chaos Emerald. It turned around to finish off Airie.

Airie was angrier than ever. Her face was down, her fists shaking. But she had some kind of odd leisure-ness about her. "So…you think that's it?" she said not moving her head. "You think I'll just submit? Give up now? Let you finish me off?" She lifted her head up, revealing a crazed smile. "Then think again. I'm not giving up now, especially not to the likes of you!" Airie's hands started glowing blue. Soon her whole body had a blue aura around it. Her chakrams which she held in one hand began to change, molding into a double-sword. (A/N: Y'know that sword with a blade at each end) Behind her, the figure of a fox began to form…

Good thing Knuckles woke up for this.

Airie swung the large blade at the robot. "TSUNAMI SLASH!" she cried. The fox figure raised its paw and from it came a huge wave. It hit the L.N. dead-on. After it passed, the robot was in pieces, the fox had vanished, the double-sword had become chakrams again, and Airie dropped to her knees. She didn't even hear Knuckles cry her name as she lost consciousness.

* * *

The steady sound of flowing water was what woke up Airie. She was in a boat in the canal. Knuckles was standing above her, looking ahead.

"What happened back there?" she asked. Knuckles looked surprised, not knowing she was awake, but answered her question. "You used some kind of strange power and defeated the Lady Ninja. After that, you blacked out. But what I want to know is how you did that!" Airie held her head. "Join the club." she said. "How can you not know how you did that?" Knuckles asked. "Hey, if I knew I could do that don't you think I would have told you already?" Airie snapped back.

Knuckles turned away, not wanting to admit that she had a point. But he broke the silence by asking "What do you know about 'The Seven Servers Of The Chaos'?" Airie looked back at him. "Huh?" "When you were asleep, the Chaos Emerald showed me a vision of the Master Emerald. A voice said 'The Seven Servers Of The Chaos'. Do you know about it or don't you?" Airie looked down. She couldn't tell him what was going to happen. Who knows what else could get messed up?

"Yes, I do." She said. "But I can't tell you." Knuckles looked as though he understood. "Is there anything you _can _tell me?" Airie stayed silent, but answered "Yes, there is."

"Well? Out with it."  
"…The Master unifies our hearts."

Knuckles slightly blushed. He thought that when Airie said 'unifies our hearts' she meant…something else. Poor innocent soul that is he. Airie hated not being able to tell him everything, but she knew she couldn't. She didn't want things to get more messed up than they already were. She didn't have a choice but not to tell him.

Didn't she?

* * *

K.O. – Wow, you guys are luuuuu-hour later-uuuuucky! Two chapters in two days! That hasn't happened in a while!

Sonic- Finally, this episode is over!

K.O. – What's wrong with this episode?

Sonic – NOTHING!


	11. Legend Of The Gate Keeper

K.O. – There will be times where I have to skip certain episodes. This would be one of them.

Sonic- You're skipping this one?

K.O. - NO! I skipped the one before it. That one where Tails and Chris save the animal reserve.

Sonic- Then that means this one is...HOLY CRAP! NOT THE ONE WITH KING BOOM BOO!

K.O. – YUP-NESS!

Sonic- BUT THAT'S WHERE-! -K.O. uses a sleeper hold-

K.O. – NO GIVING CHAPTER SPOLIERS!

Sonic- -lost in his own dream world where there is no such thing as a Sonic torturer and everyone loves him. -shudders- What's wrong with him?-

* * *

RECAP: Knuckles slightly blushed. He thought that when Airie said 'unifies our hearts' she meant…something else. Poor innocent soul that is he. Airie hated not being able to tell him everything, but she knew she couldn't. She didn't want things to get more messed up than they already were. She didn't have a choice but not to tell him. 

Didn't she?

* * *

Chris's mom was doing some scenes for her new movie. The scene's were being shot near an old abandoned castle, which Sonic had volunteered to investigate, while Airie, Amy, Tails, Cream, Chris, and Ella stayed at the set. Ella was preparing for her role as a housekeeper, and Cream and Amy were telling her that she'd be great at that. Chris was with Tails, who was running some tests on Airie. After she told him about the incident with the Lady Ninja, she wanted to be sure she was normal. 

Well, as normal as a girl can be when she's somehow been transported into an anime.

"I don't see anything wrong with you." Tails said. "And the scanner isn't picking up anything strange. I guess you're alright." Airie still wasn't convinced. How could summoning a magical kitsune and shooting water from you're hand mean you're alright?

"Do you remember anything else from that night?" Chris asked. Airie racked her memory. "Just that my chakrams changed into a double-sword and…a fox." "A fox?" Tails asked. Airie nodded. "It looked a lot like you, now that I think about it. But it was a little older and it only had one tail." "What do we do about it now, Tails?" Chris asked. Tails shrugged. "I'm not sure. Unless Airie can bring out that fox so we can ask it a few questions." "Tails, I'm not even sure how I summoned it in the first place!" Airie yelled. They all took a moment to think about this. Airie broke the awkward silence between them. "Well, I'm going to se how the movie's goin'. Tell me if you find something out about him." Tails' ears perked up. "Him who?" Airie gave a small smile. "The water fox guy. I've given him a name." "What is it?" asked her small two-tailed friend. Airie closed her eyes.

"Water Tails." She said. "That's his name."

* * *

Airie and Chris re-joined Amy and Cream. Cream was exploring around the set with Cheese, Chris went to see his mom, and Amy was awaiting Sonic's return. This made Airie feel terrible. She knew that Amy was going to be tricked by the Ghost King because of her love for Sonic. She also knew that she couldn't tell Amy about it, and even if she did Amy would never believe her. This only made Airie feel worse. 

One of the stage crewmen came out with Chris. "We have a problem!" he said. "My mom's gone missing!" Chris yelled. "Where could she have gone?" Ella asked. "I hope she's ok…" Cream said. Cheese solemnly. "I dunno." Amy said. "But don't worry! I'm sure she's alright!" She turned to face everyone. "Well then, let's go find her!"

Everyone went off in different directions. Airie went with Amy's group. They quickly found Sonic, who said that the camera man that went with him vanished too. "You don't think that castle is really haunted and that the ghosts are taking people, do you?" Chris asked. Sonic chuckled a little. "No way! There's no such thing as ghosts!"

"I wouldn't be to sure about that."

Everyone turned to Airie. It took her a moment to realize just how loud she spoke. Sonic looked her in the eye. "Do you know where Chris's mom and the camera man are?" he asked. Airie got a nervous look on her face. "Um, uh…Nope! Not at all! Not a clue! Nada! Zip! Zero!" she stammered. Sonic didn't look convinced, but let it go.

Airie felt as low as the ground she walked on. No, she felt she was lower than that. She hated lying to her friends like that. She hated not being able to tell them about the danger they were getting in. She hated not being able to tell Amy that she was going to be tricked. Each step she took made the guilt grow stronger.

Amy noticed something in Sonic's hand. "Where'd you get that vase from Sonic?" Sonic shrugged and looked at the vase. On one side there was a moon, and on the other a sun. "I found it in that castle. Not sure why it was there. After I grabbed it, the camera man was gone. Weird huh?"

* * *

After a while, they decided to split up further. Ella, Cream, and Amy were in one group, and Tails, Sonic, Chris, and Airie were in the other. Airie had insisted that she go with the others, but Sonic just said she was being superstitious. Besides, he wanted to keep a close eye on her. Something just told him she wasn't telling the whole truth. A few times, he tried to get more out of her, but he failed miserably. He still didn't give up. 

"C'mon Airie! I know you're hiding something!" he yelled. If you have a little brother or sister, you know how annoying they are. Airie was feeling that annoyance. She couldn't take his questions anymore. "Look Sonic! Just because I know what's going on doesn't mean I can tell you! For all I know, something could get seriously messed up, here or in my dimension! Would you really want some 50-foot monster attacking my world where you can't be the big hero!" This actually got through Sonic's skull, which was particularly thick to the obvious answer. "I do want to tell you." Airie said quietly. "But you have to understand that I just can't."

She recalled her little adventure with Knuckles, and how she almost told him what would happen. But that was Knuckles. He was reallyskeptical, henever trusted anyone, and even if he did, it wasn't a whole lot. Of course, he would never have believed her unless he was proven wrong. But Sonic saw everyone as trustworthy, which made him always wanting to know what others knew. He couldn't help it. It's just who he is.

"I know I'm not being much help." Airie continued. "And I know me not telling won't help, but if I did it could put you all in serious danger, so I won't take that risk." Sonic was stunned by her speech, "Airie, I-" he was cut off by a scream. Airie's eyes widened. "It's the others! They're in trouble!"

They ran in the direction that Amy's group had left in. They reached Amy and Cream, but the only part of Ella they saw was her arm sticking out of a wall!

"Hold on Ella!" Amy cried. She tried pulling her out, but it was no use. Ella's arm was gone. Cream and Cheese were being sucked in too. Tails was able to grab them, yet he was being sucked in with them. Sonic grasped Tails' leg, but even he was starting to lose his grip on the ground. Tails lost his hold on Cream and she was gone along with Cheese. Sonic lost his foot hold and he and Tails were flung in. Once they were in, the weird portal on the wall disappeared. Amy started hammering the wall, but after 3 or 4 swings, she broke down in tears.

Airie couldn't believe it. She just couldn't believe it. She just let the ghosts win. She just let her friends be taken. She just left the Ghost King with the option of tricking Amy. And the worst part was, Sonic still had the vase, their only chance of winning. And he was the last one to be taken. The mental abuse inside her head continued on like that until she noticed something on the ground.

It was the vase.

'_Sonic must have dropped it when he went for Tails…'_ Airie thought. She went over and picked it up. Amy and Chris looked at her oddly.

"With this…" Airie said. "We still have a chance."

* * *

"Alright Amy. This is the spot." 

Airie had explained to Chris and Amy how important the vase was. Amy said that Sonic would always save the day somehow, even if he didn't fight.

Man, if Amy put that kind of devotion into anime, she'd be the world's biggest otaku instead of the world's biggest psychotic fangirl.

Back to the story, Airie had led them to the pedestal where the secret entrance was. Amy, using her hammer, has able to knock it out of the way. Airie went down the tunnel first, Amy and Chris reluctantly following.

The stairway led into a hallway inside the castle. They walked down for what seemed like hours. Amy had her hammer out in case, and Chris stayed between the two girls so he wouldn't get hurt.

It wasn't too long before they met some unwanted company.

Two blobs of white appeared in front of them. They slowly grew eyes, teeth and arms, revealing two of the Ghost King's familiars. Chris and Amy were easily frightened, but Airie wasn't fazed at all. This was very odd to the two ghosts. They tried scaring her by making faces, pulling their mouths off, juggling with their eyes, that sort of thing. Yet they still got no reaction from Airie other than a yawn. "This is getting boring…" she said. She pulled the vase from behind her back and held it out for the ghosts to see. They stared, their eyes wide and their mouths slack-jawed for a minute. Then they clutched each other, screamed and phased through a wall in pure terror.

Airie smiled, satisfied with herself. "It's alright guys. You can come out now." She said. Amy and Chris came out from behind the pillar where they had been hiding. "Why were they scared of the vase?" Chris asked. "This vase is the one thing that can stop the ghosts. Their whole plan is in jeopardy because we have it." She started to walk again. "No sense pondering about it here. We should keep moving." And keep moving they did.

* * *

Every time they came to a corner Airie stuck the vase out to scare away any ghosts that might be there looking for them. Every hallway looked the same, except for one. It had a tapestry on it, not like the other ones in the last hallways. On each corner was a symbol. On the top-left corner was a hedgehog surrounded by the sky and on the bottom left-hand corner was a human surrounded by flowers. On the top right-hand corner was a fox surrounded by clouds and on the last corner was an echidna surrounded by flames. In the center was a shield with a large 'K' on it. They all stared at it for a while. "I'm getting a serious Deja-Vu feeling about this about this, guys." Airie said. 

"You should be feeling that. But then again, I miss her, too."

Now THAT, scared Airie. All of them jumped to the side, startled by the voice, which was oddly high and squeaky. The looked to where it had come from. It was a little ghost, not like the others. This one was wobbly and transparent, and it large periwinkle eyes were soft and adoring. Amy and Airie would have let out huge 'awww's if they weren't so scared.

"I'm terribly, terribly sorry!" wailed the ghost. "I just…miss my partner, is all." Airie felt bad for the little guy. (A/N: Ghost. Thing. Whatever.) "Don't worry. It's ok. We're alright now." She said calmly. The ghost sniffed. "Thank you Airie. Oh, I haven't introduced myself!" Its attitude suddenly went very perky. "My name is Gaga. I'm the Steward for the Gate Keeper!" "Hey, who did you know my name?" Airie asked. "And what did you mean that I 'should be getting a Deja-Vu feeling'?" she asked. Gaga looked confused. "You mean you haven't figured it out yet?" he said. "No matter! I didn't expect a friend of the Gate Keeper to know if the Gate Keeper herself doesn't know!" "What's this Gate Keeper you keep talking about?" Amy asked. Gaga looked very happy that she asked. "I will tell you the tale. The tale that includes the life of heroines who risked their lives to keep the worlds in balance. I know it all. I was there every time!" Gaga cleared his throat and began his story:

_

* * *

_

_"Long ago, there were four worlds. The Human World, The Demon World, Heaven, and The Spirit world. Each of them co-existed in peace and harmony, yet some rules were set. Demons could not enter Heaven and Angels could not enter The Demon World or their bodies would be destroyed. Humans could not enter the Spirit World or they would instantly die. The only world that they could all enter was the Human world, which was a bit of a problem. If any of the other worlds would declare war on the Human World, the worlds could become one, ending both of them and its inhabitants. So therefore, the Gate Keeper was chosen. The Keeper would make sure that the Human World's gates to the other worlds would remain closed, so the tragedy would be avoided.  
"The first Gate Keeper was not a boy, as most would hope, but a young girl by the name of Colette. She was a Human, and the only gate that could have been opened when she took the duty was Heaven's. Her people feared for her and did not want her to be killed if Heaven did attack, so the leaders of each world came to one meeting place and combined their powers, thus creating me in the form of a Hero Chao, the Gate Keeper's partner, Gaga. They gave me the title of 'Steward' because I would defend Lady Colette from any danger.  
"Lady Colette did her job with pride. Although Heaven did not declare war, she enjoyed doing her duty if it meant protecting her people. When she passed on, I admit, I was very sad. Until the next Gate Keeper was born, I retained this form, awaiting her return.  
"The next Keeper was an angel, a hedgehog by the name of Cade. She also protected the Human World from Heaven's gates, for Humans were very short lived and Lady Colette did not live long enough for them to close. When Lady Cade left perform her duty, I took the form of a Son-Chao, and once again helped and protected her.  
"Believe it or not, an Angel can die, and Lady Cade did pass on. I awaited the return of the Keeper once more. This time she was a fox from the Spirit World, Lady Cocoluu. She was hesitant at first, as most form the Spirit World were, but did take the job, and I took the form of a Tails-Chao.  
"Unfortunately, the Spirit World did declare war, and when Lady Cocoluu tried to intervene, she was killed by her own people. I was powerless without her and could do nothing to stop them. The Spirits did enter the Human World, but they were able to stop them, sealing them away within this castle. I was to stay here as well, waiting for the Gate Keeper's return, where we would then send the Spirits back to their world and saving this one.  
"But the Keeper did not come. For many years I waited inside this castle, hiding from the Spirits, ever vigilant for the day my partner would come back. I found a way to see the other worlds, and as it seems, the Spirit World was turned into another Human World. That is where the Gate Keeper was. She's a girl from the Demon World, and she doesn't even know it."_

* * *

"Although I could not see her, I still watched her, which is how I learned of you, Airie, and all her friends. I could not tear her away from you, but now that you are here, I can bring her here as well." Gaga took a breath. "And that, is my story." Everyone took some time to let it set in. Airie broke the silence. "Gaga? What were the Gate Keeper's family name?" Gaga smiled weakly. 

"Kendo." He said simply.

* * *

K.O.- Since I had no more room at the top of the chapter, I will do the reviews down here today! 

**_ShadowKiller27_**- Great idea! From now on I will put the reviews on each chapter. But I will need at least five before I post the next part. Glad you like how I put in Water Tails. You'll see more of him later.

**_Carolyn the Hedgehog_**- Thanks, but changing your character's appearance will not be necessary unless you want me too.

**_Twilight-Link_**- Thanks for the OC! I will put him in, but in a different way like the others. I'm going to send you an e-mail with the info later on, so when you get it let me know what you think! BTW, I put that South Park line in so I wouldn't forget to watch it while doing my homework!

**_Saith-chan_**- I will also be using your OC, and just like **_Twilight-Link_**'s, it will be sort of different. Be expecting an e-mail from me soon, and let me know if you like or don't like it.

K.O.- And let it be known now that flames or replies that really hurt me will not be put in the reviews. So Story Killers who crush the young writers of the world'shopes anddreams, I'M ON TO YOU!


	12. Boom Boo Backfire

K.O. – Sorry guys.Somehow Chapter 12 got screwed up. I'm trying to put it back as best I can.

* * *

RECAP: "Although I could not see her, I still watched her, which is how I learned of you, Airie, and all her friends. I could not tear her away from you, but now that you are here, I can bring her here as well." Gaga took a breath. "And that, is my story." Everyone took some time to let it set in. Airie broke the silence. "Gaga? What were the Gate Keeper's family name?" Gaga smiled weakly. 

"Kendo." He said simply.

* * *

Airie stood still as a statue. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. 

"You're telling me...that Chihiro Kendo...my friend C.K...is the Gate Keeper"  
Gaga answered. "Yes."  
"And...she's a demon..."  
"That too, is correct."  
"And now...you're going to bring her...here."  
Gaga was silent. "Only with your consent."

"With my what?" Airie asked. "The duty of a Gate Keeper can be a dangerous one for some." Gaga explained."As I told you, Lady Cocoluu was killed by her people. There is always a chance that could happen to Lady Chihiro. I won't put her in any danger unless you are sure she will be safe."

Airie thought about this. She never wanted to C.K. to get hurt before. She was her best friend, after all. What kind of friend would Airie be if C.K. got hurt because of her? But then there was Gaga and the whole Gate keeper sitiuation. Airie couldn't leave Gaga like this forever. He couldn't defeat Boom Boo by himself. He needed C.K. to be with him. Airie also remembered that Gaga was created to protect the Gate Keeper. And with Sonic, Tails, and the others, her safety was assured.

"Alright Gaga. Do what you need to do." Airie said. Gaga smile got larger -if possible- and he nodded gratefully. He floated back from them a bit and started chanting. As he did, a circle appeared beneath him. His chanting got louder.

_"Live Life, Thou Shalt Not Die!"  
"For Millions And Millions Of Years!"  
"Hail, Protector Of The Mortal Gates!"  
"Strong Are Thy Sails In The Wind..."  
__"...As Thou Glidest Over The Rivers Of Flame..."  
"...That Lead From The Demon World!"_

A star drew itself inside the circle and many gasps were let around. Forming out of the stars center was a female echidna. She had a very long ponytail the reached her knees. She was wearing black boots and a black skirt, and had a purple sweater on that read 'B4K4'.Tied onher back was a broomstick. She lightly opened her hazeleyes as her feet tapped the floor, and they got wider as she took in her surroundings.

"Wow Gaga, I'm impressed." Airie said in awe. C.K. was different now, but Airie could still tell it was her. C.K. was shaking her head around frantically. Her eyes landed on Airie looked at her up and down, then C.K. lunged at her screaming "AIRIE-SAMA!" She started crying things in Japanese, her voice becoming higher pitched and soon it was impossibe to understand her.

"C.K., you've reached the point where only dogs can hear you!" Airie yelled. C.K.'s face went blank for a moment, then she quickly aplogized, "Gomen, Airie-Sama." She started talking in English. "But, what's going on? Where are we? Why are we like this? I don't-" She cut herself offf when she saw Chris and Amy. After a minute of exchanging stares, C.K. went "Ohhh."

"Yes, and now we need your help to get rid of the ghosts." Airie said. "Y'mean the ones from Episode 19?" "The very same!" "But the vase is what get's rid of them right?" Airie hadn't thought about that. "Yeah, but, umm...Gaga needs you sohe cantake his true form!" C.K. looked at Gaga, who smiled and waved innocently. "Why?" Gaga grew his big smile again. They knew what they were in for.

"Here we go again..." Amy said.  
"This is going to be a long day..." Chris said.

* * *

After another round of explanations, C.K. and Airie started chatting like the old friends they were. Gaga was just glad to have his partener back, even if he wasn't in his real from yet. C.K. hadn't decided yet if she was ready to take the job or not. 

"Hey Airie." C.K. said. "Yeah?" "Episode 19 is where Amy gets tricked right?" "Yeah." "Have you told her yet?" Airie groaned a little. _'Not like I didn't see this coming...'_ she thought. "No C.K. I haven't. And I don't think we should." C.K. looked confused. "But why? If we tell her now it might save us a whole lot of trouble!" "Think about it: Would Amy really listen to us? She's completely devoted to Sonic. She'd jump off a cliff for him. It wouldn't make any difference if we told her. And besides, Boom Boo can still put that ghost inside of her." A shiver ran up C.K.'s spine. "Don't remind me." she said. "Sorry. I forgot that freaked you out. Anyway, I have a perfect plan so the won't happen!" Before Airie told her plan she called Gaga over. "Anything I can do for you, ladies?" he said eagerly. "Just need to let you in on a little secret." Airie said.

Once she finished explaining, Gaga grewa mishciveious grin and floated back to the head of the group. C.K. was relucant about Airie's plan. She looked ahead to Amy.

_'Is it really the only way?'_ she asked herself.

* * *

They soon found temselves in a circular room with a single ledge, which Airie and C.K. quickly recognized as the arrival placeof Boom Boo. Airie simply walked over to the ledge, leaving the others behind. When she got there, she looked up to the ceiling and said "Must get pretty boring up there, eh Sonic?" The others looked up to the ceiling, seeing Sonic, Tails, everyone trapped in some sort of barrier. Sonic mustered whatever strength he had left and spoke."Airie...put the vase...with the sun up..." Airie looked to the vase, then Sonic, and smirked. "Nice try, but you won't trick me that easily." Amy ran over completely outraged."Airie! What are you doing!" "Can't you see Amy?" The ghosts took over Sonic. They want us to put the vase sun up, so they can flush out their king." To Airie's good fortune, Amy believed her. "Don't worry Sonic! We'll get you out of there in no time!" she said. "Here Amy, I think you should put it on." Airie said. Sonic glared at Airie. "I thought you knew what was gonna happen...!" he yelled. "I do, but she doesn't." Airie said with a wink 

Sonic was confused. Airie had known all along what would happen, and she was letting it happen? It didn't make any sense. He was so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't pay any atention to Amy, who had just put the vase down with the moon side up. Just like before, a bliding light came out from it.

_'Perfect!' _Airie thought. _'Now to test my acting skills...'_

After the light cleared up, the Ghost King had risen again. He was just how Airie and C.K. remembered: Big, stupid, and ugly.

"Thank you for releasing me." he said with and evil smirk. Airie got on one knee and in an alomost emotionless tone said "You are most welocome, Master. Everything is going according to plan." "Airie...?" Amy asked. Boom Boo was confused. "What do you mean 'according to plan'?" Airie looked up at him. "Surely you did not forget Master. You ordered me to take control of this creature, and convince that one to put the vase on the altar." "So...you're not Airie?" Amy asked. Airie looked at her with regret. "No, I'm not." she said.

Amy was absolutely furious. She clutched her hammer in her hand. "You...tricked me..." she said. "I'm not gonna let you get away with that!" "Come my minions! And attack!" B.B. yelled. As he did, an army of ghost apperared and charged straight for Amy. But they were no match for her. In a matter of minutes, the ghosts were either unconsious or had run away. "Grr...useless fools..." B.B. grunted.

C.K. saw this as a good opprotunity to initate the next phase in Airie's plan. "Hey, Boom Boo!" she yelled. "Do you know who I am!" For a moment, B.B. thought she was crazy, until he saw Gaga floating next to her head. "Gaga, you of all people should know the Gate Keeper cant do anything unless she agreed to her position!" "Dang, didn't think about that..." Airie muttered. Gaga looked like he was holding his breath as he glared, but shook it off and turned to C.K. "Lady Chihiro!" he said holing her hand with his small one. "Do you accept the duty and responsiblity of protecting the Human World from danger?" The room was deathly silent as C.K. thought. Finally, with a determined face, gave her answer.

"I accept."

Another light came from their untited hands. Gaga's body began to change shape, but not into a chao. His body turned long and red, and gold patterns were drawn all over him. His head grew out and a snout and set of fangsbecame visible. Two thick horns grew out of his head, and his tiny hands grew into tremendous claws.

"He tuned into a dragon...!" Chris exclaimed.  
"Just when you think you've seen it all..." Airie said.

C.K.'s broom had changed, too. It turned into a sword handle. Before she could even think of why it would become that, Gaga spoke to her. It wasn't his high,squeaky voice, but a very powerful and deep one. "Lady Chihrio! Climb on my back!" he said. He didn't need to tell C.K. twice. Once she grbed hold of his horns, they became airborne(A/N: It must have been pretty big for them to do that) "Gaga, what do I do know?" C.K. asked. "Aim the handle at Boom Boo and throw it!" Gaga said. C.K. closed on eye and aimed the handle at Boom Boo's mouth. When she threw it, a large blade came out of the handle's end. it went straight into B.B.'s mouth and knocked him outside.

B.B. screamed in pain as the sunlight his his skin. He turned into his shadowed state and tried to run back to the castle. C.K. jumped off of Gaga and picked up her sword. She thrust it into B.B.'s shadow, yelling"NO YOU DON'T!" At that instant, he came out from the ground and tried to run away, but C.K. had stomped on his tail. The barrier inside wore off, and all those inside were let down. They all ran outside to congratdulate C.K.

"C.K. that was amazing!" Airie said.  
"I can't believe Gaga turned into a dragon!" Chris said.  
"You beat Boom Boo AND got rid of the ghost inside Airie!" Amy said.  
C.K. and Airie exchanged glances. "Sure...let's go with that!" C.K. said.

"What are you talking about!" Sonic yelled. "Never had ghost inside of her! She tricked you!" "She...what?" Amy said. Airie turned to Sonic. "Sonic, I hope you realize that tommorrow I will be trying to remove your vocal cords." she said bluntly. "But why would you do something like that?" Amy asked. "If I didn't, you would've been tricked in an even worse way." "How could it have been worse!" Sonic asked. Airie groaned and pulled Sonic and Amy away from everyone else. She told them about how Boom Boo pretended to be Sonic, tricked Amy, everything that would have happened. Their eyes were wide and they were speechless when she finished. Then, both in unison, they said "Thank you." Airie sighed in satisfaction.

"Now, what do we do with Ghosty here?" C.K. asked. "I say we put him in a barrier of his own!" Sonic said. "Leave him to me! Maybe I can whack the ugly out of him!" Amy said raising her hammer. "Maybe we should let the Gate Keeper decide." Airie said. C.K. put herself in deepthought. "I think we should let them stay here." she said. "Biut what if this happens all over again!" Amy yelled. "We can't send them back to their world. It's another Human World, remember?" "Oh yeah..." Amy said. "What are you guys talking about?" Sonic asked. "We can't just send them to another world." C.k. continued. "Right now, the Demon World gates are only open to the Human World. If we send them to Heaven, another war will start, and I can only protect us from the Demons." "Uh, hedgehog with a question here. What does any of this have to do with Heaven?" Sonic asked again. "So its agreed then. We let them stay here?" Airie said. All nodded their heads. "Are you guys listening to me!" Sonic yelled.

C.K. turned to Boom Boo. "But let's get one thing straight..." C.K. took a deep breath. "IF TOU SO MUCH AS EVEN THINK ABOUT DOING THIS AGAIN I WILL PERSONALLY STUFF YOU INSIDE MY SIZE 3 BOOT ANDSHOVE IT IN A BLENDER! YOU GOT THAT BUB!" Boom Boo shook his head up and down vigorously. "THEN GET OUT OF HERE!" And with that, Chihiro Kendo, an ordinary Japanese girl turned echidna, sent the Ghost King Boom Boo, running away in pure terror.

See what I meant by split personality?

C.K. took the vase out back to the pedastal and set the moonside up. She sighed happily. "I feel a lot better now!" she said proudly. Everyone sweatdropped. C.K. looked around for her dragon friend. "Hey, were'd Gaga go?" A slight tug at her shirt gave her the answer. She turned around to see a Knux-Chao with large periwinkle eyes. "Lady Chihiro!" Gaga cried in his normal voice. "This is my true form! I hope it does not displease-OOF!"

C.K. grabbed Gaga in a great big bear hug. "AWW GAGA! YOU'RE SO CUTE AS A CHAO! AND YOU'RE A KNUX-CHAO TO BOOT! YOU'RE SO KAWAII!"she cried with glee.

"And her weakness with cute things shows." Airie said.  
"I guess." Sonic said. "...Wait a minute. Who is she?"  
Airie sighed and remembered what Chris said earlier. It really was going to be a long day.

* * *

K.O.- I'm sory for the inconvience everybody. I dunno what happened, but Chapter 11 just reapeated itself. I'm pretty mad and sad at myself. -bangs head on keyboard to relieve guilt- 


	13. Still Her Brother Part 1

K.O. – Today, just for a twist, the story will start by Airie narrating.

Sonic- Why?

K.O. - I just said its for a twist. And shouldn't you still be in your Hey Ya coma?

Sonic- I grew an immunity to the song!

K.O.- -rubs chin- What about the music video?

Sonic- I... -realizes that he didn't do that-

K.O.- I thought so. -pulls out TV- Now watch it!

Sonic- AHH! MY EYES!

_**magnagurl101**- _Yay! New reader! Thanks for your new support!

**_Sonica the hedgefox_**- Gald you and little Sonica like it!

**_MikomitheKitsune_**- I haven't heard from you in some time. Its really good to hear from you again!

**_character-emily_**- Thanks again for your support.

**_Anothony Bault_**- Most girls I know have a very strong afinity for cute things. Its just the way most of us are.

**_Shadowkiller27_**- It was a backfire for both Boom Boo's planand Airie's plan. Airie messed up Boom Boo's, and Sonic messed up Airie's. But that won't happen again, WILL IT SONIC?

Sonic- -eyes wide in horror from watching Outkast 'shake it like a Polariod picture'- Uh...huh...

K.O.- Good boy. Have a cookie. And just a quick disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yahsa, Rurouni Kenshin, or the many legions of the undead.

* * *

RECAP: C.K. took the vase out back to the pedastal and set the moonside up. She sighed happily. "I feel a lot better now!" she said proudly. Everyone sweatdropped. C.K. looked around for her dragon friend. "Hey, were'd Gaga go?" A slight tug at her shirt gave her the answer. She turned around to see a Knux-Chao with large periwinkle eyes. "Lady Chihiro!" Gaga cried. "This is my true form! I hope it does not displease-OOF!" 

C.K. grabbed Gaga in a great big bear hug. "AWW GAGA! YOU'RE SO CUTE AS A CHAO! AND YOU'RE A KNUX-CHAO TO BOOT! YOU'RE SO KAWAII!"she cried with glee.

"And her weakness with cute things shows." Airie said.  
"I guess." Sonic said. "...Wait a minute. Who is she?"  
Airie sighed and remembered what Chris said earlier. It really was going to be a long day.

* * *

(Airie's POV) 

_After the whole Boom Boo experience, we all went home for some well deserved rest. We figured that the castle would go back to normal and the ghosts would stay out of sight, and all traces of the fight would be gone._

_Boy, we were some idiots._

_You might not understand this now, but having 2 girls stuck in another dimension was bad enough. C.K. had to stay because she was the Gate Keeper with her 'divine duties', and I had to because…well, now that I think about it, I guess before I always had the opportunity to have Gaga take me back home. But, for whatever reason, I stayed. Something told me the others needed me._

_But, that's a story for later._

_Remember that circle-star thing that Gaga used to bring C.K.? Well, all of us, even Gaga, thought that it would just go away after bringing one person through. But he forgot that he had to close the portal, even though he was the one who opened it! Strange things loneliness can do to a person's memory, huh?_

_Anyway, the portal thing leads to my house in the woods, because that's where C.K. was at the time. She, my brother Lite, and my friend Largo were going to stay there with me for a few weeks. She came to my house a few days early, Gaga made the portal, and you know the rest. _

_I get to Sonic's world who-knows-how, and C.K. comes in a few days later because of Gaga. No more people coming through, right? Wrong._

_After C.K. got through, Lite and Largo came to my house the next day in our world and…maybe I'll just let you see for yourself._

* * *

Walking down the same forest path that Airie and C.K. took a few days before, Lite was anxious to see his sister again. 

Yes. Airie's 12-year-old brother was anxious to see his big sister. Odd, I know.

In any event, he was still happy to see her again. Airie was like his role model, he wanted to have her confidence. Especially since when he was younger he was picked on a lot.

Man, that's even weirder than him been anxious to see her. I can really scare myself sometimes.

Still, he was. Lite wasn't like most little brothers; he was _friends_ with his sister. In fact, the only thing the two really argued about is who would win in a fight of Knuckles against Tails. (A/N: Sonic Adventure referance.)

Lite brushed aside some of his blonde hair from his face, from which he saw the roof of a house."C'mon, Largo!" Lite yelled back to his companion. "I can see the house!" "I'm going as fast as I can!" Largo yelled back, dragging a bulky suitcase. "But my L337 Zombie T3ch is heavy. And I need them to build and deploy my PH34R-Bots." "Yeah, yeah. 'Build and deploy' away, Largo." Lite said. "Just don't try to make a robot head out of the microwave this time. One day C.K really.is gonna kill you."

They approached Airie's house. The crows were still there, but they were cawing strangely, almost like telling them not to go any further.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Lite asked, although he didn't expect an answer. He didn't understand how Airie befriended them and could somehow talk to them. Ignoring the crows, he started to put his house key in the lock, but the door just creaked open. "That's weird." Lite said. "Airie never leaves the door unlocked." They crept inside.

"It's quiet. Too quiet." Largo said. "Lame movie phrase alert." Lite said sarcastically. They walked in the too-quiet house and up the stairs. "AIRIE! C.K.! You guys here?" Lite called out. "SIL3NC3!" Largo hushed. "You wish for THEM to hear you!" "If by 'them' you mean Airie and C.K., then yes." Lite said. "No, look." Largo pointed to one of the spare rooms where C.K. slept. They figured she and Airie were watching some anime, most likely one of the Inu-Yasha movies they had been watching for about three weeks, and had the volume up so high they didn't hear them. Seemed to make sense. Except…wouldn't Lite and Largo have heard it?

"Guys, don't you think you've watched those movies enough for every scene to be glued in your heads by now?" Lite asked. No answer. They looked inside the room. No Airie, no C.K., no Inu-Yasha (A/N: Waaaah!). The light was coming from a weird pattern in the floor. A circle with a star in the middle. Next to it was some oddly-shaped lump which Largo picked up. It was a messenger bag with a Knuckles-Logo patch sewn on it. Above it in written in permanent ink were the words 'SEX GOD'.

"Definitely C.K.'s bag." Lite said. "Yes, but why is it here?" Largo asked. "Maybe the giant night-light thing has something to do with it." Lite said. "C.K. IS half-witch after all. She might have cast a spell or something." He walked over to the circle and stepped inside. "Doesn't seem to be doing much." he said. Suddenly, the light from the circle got brighter. "LITE!" Largo yelled. He ran over to him and they both vanished, just in time from them to learn all about C.K. and Airie's mysterious disappearance.

* * *

"Airie, I'm not too sure about this." 

Airie and C.K. were up on the roof. Airie was trying to teach C.K. how to fly with her broom, but C.K. wasn't being very agreeable. Some nonsense about not wanting to die.

"C'mon C.K. Its easy!" Airie insisted. "No way!" C.K. said."In case you haven't noticed, I don't have wings." "But you DO have a broom." Airie argued. "Your point?" C.K. asked. Airie groaned and slapped her forehead. "OK. You saw the movie Kiki's Delivery Service, right?" "Of course! You know that's my favorite movie ever!" C.K. exclaimed. "Alright. When Kiki was asked how witches fly, what did she say?" Airie asked. "She said that witches fly with their spirits." C.K. said proudly. After she realized what she just said, she quickly added, "But I'm not a witch!" "But you are half, and half is good enough." Airie said in her victory. C.K. gave in. "Fine. I'll do it." She got on her broom and was almost ready to take off. "But if I die, and you somehow get home, tell Largo to stay away from my funeral. I don't want him scaring off anyone or setting something on fire." And with that she kicked her feet and left the ground.

Her broom flung from one side to another, making her dizzy. "GAGA! HELP ME!" she cried. Almost as fast as Sonic, Gaga came running out to aid his partner. He grabbed C.K. hands and put them on the broom's handle. In a few seconds, C.K. regained control and was flying like a pro.

Who says you can't learn anything from anime?

"Well, witches are supposed to fly with their own spirits." Airie said."But I guess a spirit like Gaga is the next best thing!" She watched C.K. glide around with Gaga never leaving her side. She started to fly towards the forest, where some very hard tree branches were happily waiting to meet her. "KYAA! PULL UP! PULL UP!" she yelled to her broom. No use. She flew right into the treetops, and her foot got stuck on a vine. She was flung upside-down, spinning aroud, and with all the blood rushing to her head. She had to hold her skirt down (A/N: Or up, or something) to keep it from doing a flip, too. Airie couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sorry C.K.!' she said through large laughs. "But you look so ridiculus!" "Never mind the apology!" C.K. cried. "JUST GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!" "Wahh! I'm sorry Lady Chihiro!" Gaga yelled franticly. He tried to undo the knot that had caughther foot, and he succeeded. Unfortunately, C.K. wasn't prepared for it, so her face met Mr. Hard Dirty Ground. "LADY CHIHIRO! Are you alright!" Gaga cried. "Don't take me out, Coach..." she said. Airie was in stitches.

"What's so funny?"

Sonic had heard C.K.'s screams and Airie's laughter all the way back to the mansion. "Oh man Sonic." Airie said as she wiped tears from her eyes. "You just missed the funniest thing EVER! Isn't that right, C.K.?" Gaga was trying to help C.K. up from the ground. "I'm fine, just one question: Who's C.K.?" she said. "Uh, is she gonna be ok?" Sonic asked. "Yeah, she's just kinda confused from her fall. But I know how you can wake her up." She whispered something in Sonic's ear and he smirked evily. He walked over to where C.K. stood casually, looked up in the sky and yelled "Holy Cow! Is that Knuckles sky-diving dressed up as Rurouni Kenshin? (A/N: Ah, I can only wish it...). In an instant, C.K. shot up like a bullet and started searching the sky frantically. "WHERE IS HE! WHERE IS HE! OH WHY DIDN'T I BRING A CAMERA!" "Just kidding!" Sonic said. C.K. stared at him for a moment.

"You mean...Knuckles isn't...?"  
"'Fraid not. Sorry, kid!"  
C.K. clenched her broom in her hand. "You..."  
Sonic looked worried at this."Huh?"  
"YOU MUST DIE FOR THIS!"  
"AAAHHHHHHH!"

C.K. tackled Sonic to the ground and started to punch him and whack him with the broom. Airie watched them for a while, then broke down in laughter again. "I TOLD you I'd try to remove your vocal cords Sonic!" she cried. "And I take it back: THIS is the funniest thing ever!"

* * *

"Wake." 

Lite awoke to Largo shaking him. "Wh-what happened back there Largo?" he asked. Lite remembered something about a giant night-light and C.K.'s backpack, was his head was on, but other than that his mind was a total blank. "I'm not sure, but we are no longer in Airie's house." Largo answered. True, they were outside in a forest, not like the one that surrounded Airie's house. "But I might know where we are. Look at yourself." Largo took a mirror of of C.K.'s bag and handed it to Lite. His eyes grew wider as he studied his face.

No longer was it the face of a blonde human boy, but the face of a orange fox-boy. His green eyes were still there, but no other trace of his human form. Something brushed past his face, and to his horror it was a fluffy tail. The only thing that seemed to not freak him out was a wierd gun at his side.

"What the heck!" Lite panicked."We can't be THERE! I mean...how can we be!" "I'm afraid we are." Largo said. "And most likely Airie and C.K. are here too. This is _their _work, and we must stop it before anyone else is caught up in it all." Lite stood up, wobbling a bit, and slung C.K.'s bag over his shoulder. "You're right. But where should we start?" Largo pointed in the distance to some sky scrapers. "There is Station Square. That is where our comrades most likely are. They must have made an aliance with Sonic and the others by now. When we get there, it will grow stronger." Lite looked at Largo oddly."Or they'll try to turn the two of us into the police when they see what you do to city." he said. "No time for converstaion." Largo said ignoring Lite. "We must move."

Once they started walking, Lite noticed something about Largo. "Hey, if I turned into a fox, why are you still human?" he asked. Sure enough, Largo still had his human face, red-orange hair, brown eyes, everything. Nothing of his person had changed. "I do not know." Largo answered. "But my L337 senses are tingling and are telling me it has something to do with appendixes. My L337 senses never tingle wrong." Lite just rolled his eyes.

* * *

Airie, C.K. and Amy were in Airie's room watching Inu-Yasha The Movie 3 on Airie's laptop. Amy had no problem with the mild swearing and bloodshed; she was actually pretty interested. They were more than half-way through, where the deceasedTakemaru was summonig the legions of the undead to destroy the Tesusaiga and the Tenseiga. (A/N: If you have no idea what I'm talking about, go out and buy Inu-Yasha 3. Right now. Do it. Go. I'm serious.) 

**"Fallen soldiers, come and heed me now!" Takemaru said. "Rise from the dead and take your vengence upon the living!" The sword he held out, the Sounga, was dripping blood, which came down in rivers on the men he just slain. They came up as living corpses, reaking of the undead.**

"Eww! Gross!"C.K. squealed. "Hey, you're a demon AND a witch! You should be used to things like this!" Amy said. "Don't worry about her, Amy." Airie said. "Her squeamish-ness will leave as soon as-" "Shut up." C.K. said like she was in a trance. "Inu-Yasha is talking again."

**Inu-Yasha was brooding by the battle field. His sword was shaking. "Well, Tenseiga..." he said to his sword. "Looks like you an' me are gonna have one heck of a battle."**

C.K. was now drooling.

_'And yet she still loves Knuckles more...'_ Airie thought. She still hadn't told C.K. about her battle with Knuckles. She thought about how C.K. would react. If she did tell her, C.K. would...well, I can't really say it, but it would be quickly censored if put on a kid's television show. _'It would be a good chance to meet my liver...' _Airie thought.

* * *

Lite and Largo continued walking through Station Square. No one seemed startled, they all just assumed they were Sonic' friends. Largo had stopped at a arcade and an evil grin spread across his face. Lite grabbed his shoulder. "Don't even think about. If you remember last time, we were nearly sued." Largo grumbled away, Lite following him. By this time, they could see the mansion. 

"Lite, your speed and agility must have increased." Largo said. "Perhaps you can get us there faster." "I guess its worth a shot." Lite said. (A/N: Like sister, like brother, eh?) Lite grabbed Largo's hand and sped off.

"WOO-HOO! I'm am faster!" Lite yelled. He didn't find this very suprising, since he was the fastest kid in his class, but this was amazing! Largo smiled at him. "Good. I can see the mansion. Time to stop." "Right!" Lite said. But when he tried moving his feet, they just kept going. And as if it couldn't get any worse, they were heading straight for the mansion's bushes.

"Aww, shoot..." Lite said.  
"I hate Mondays..." Largo mumbled.

But, somewhat luckily for them, Lite tripped and stopped running, but they landed head first in the bushes. The crash was right below the window of Airie's room. All three of the girl heard it and rushed towards the window. What a suprise when they saw two pairs of legs and a tail sticking out of the bushes, squirming around.

"Umm... do you...know them, by any chance?" Amy asked. "No I don't think we..." Airie trailed off from her sentence when she looked at Largo's shirt. In bold green letters it said 'BIT3 M3'. Appearently C.K. saw it too, as she also didn't take her eyes off the shirt. "You don't think it could _really_ be them...do you?" Airie asked with a nervous laugh. "Nah! No way! Its...probably just a coincidence!" C.K. said also laughing. They stopped laughing as soon as they heard Largo yell "UN-HAND ME, LEGIONS OF THE UNDEAD!"

Everyone remained silent for a while. C.K. and Airie hung their heads.

"Airie, do you want to get them, or shall I?"  
"No, you did it last time C.K. I'll go."

* * *

K.O.- I decided to cut this chapter in half. This was the fastest I got reviews, and I didn't want you to have to wait any longer. I just want you guys to be happy! 

Sonic- -still eating the cookie- YAY HAPPINESS!

K.O.- I have one more note. Next chapter is the start of Shirt Guy Knuckles! SGK is a short little segment with your host, Knuckles. See him explore the world of my fanfic, non-exsistent swag, and what would happen if Amy had a chainsaw!

Knuckles- Sweet! I'm finally getting time on the 'after the chapter' thing.

K.O.- KNUCKLES! -pounces on him- See you guys later!


	14. Still Her Brother Part 2

K.O. – Man, lots of people who reviewed changed their names. I didn't even realize until it was too late!

Sonic- What can you do when you live in a shoe and ya ain't got no sole?

K.O- Review, that's what!

**_Sonica-Sillya_**- Sorry. I didn't realize you changed your name. I'll be more careful from now on. And I know that every time I don't update very fast or someone doesn't review, a chao is threatened to be killed. So you guys review, I'll update, and the chaos wil be free to frolic the world again.

**_magnagurl101_** and **_Zero the Hedgehog_**- Thanks for the support, as always. : )

**_Shadowkiller27_**- It took me forever to make that joke. At first it was Inu-Yasha and not Rurouni Kenshin, but I figured I put enough of Inu in the story for one day. And if you did end up in Sonic's world that way, would you be dating a two-tailed Krystal?

**_Saith-chan_**- I'm sorry the last chapter was cut short. But believe it or not, the whole thing took up 7 pages on Microsoft Word! I figured that would be good enough for now, and I didn't want you guys to have your brain meltdown from having to read so much. By the way, did you get my e-mail? I'm pretty sure I sent it to you. And just one more thing: what do you mean by 'Those are only a few places too!'?

* * *

RECAP:

"Umm... do you...know them, by any chance?" Amy asked. "No I don't think we..." Airie trailed off from her sentence when she looked at Largo's shirt. In bold green letters it said 'BIT3 M3'. Appearently C.K. saw it too, as she also didn't take her eyes off the shirt. "You don't think it could _really_ be them...do you?" Airie asked with a nervous laugh. "Nah! No way! Its...probably just a coincidence!" C.K. said also laughing. They stopped laughing as soon as they heard Largo yell "UN-HAND ME, LEGIONS OF THE UNDEAD!"

Everyone remained silent for a while. C.K. and Airie hung their heads.

"Airie, do you want to get them, or shall I?"  
"No, you did it last time C.K. I'll go."

* * *

After another round of introductions and getting Lite's head out of the bushes, things seemed to quiet down. Lite got freaked out when he saw Tails, nervous when he saw Amy, and mad when he saw Sonic.(A/N: Lite doesn't like the way that Sonic is always the big hero and Tails gets no recognoition.) Airie, C.K., and Amy finished watching Inu-Yasha in peace, and everything was right with the world.

At least until Largo found the door to Chuck's lab.

"AHHH! What are you doing!"  
"I am upgrading your firewall system, Chuck."  
"WITH A PLUNGER AND A BUNSEN BURNER?"  
"Yes! It will be an invincible system that will stirke ph34r in all other hard drives! PH34R T3H W4LL OF FIR3!"

Smoke and fire could be seen coming from out of the lab. Airie, C.K., and Amy were standing near the door. Amy was really the only one suprised by the flames. Airie, keeping her promise from the Lady Ninja battle, had started to watch Samurai Champloo on her laptop. C.K. didn't understnad why she was doing this, since Airie hadn't told her yet, but she watched her friend struggle to understand the plot. "Well, the idiot's gone and done it again." Airie said not taking her eyes off the screen."Yup." C.K. said also not moving her head off of Airie. "Does he do this...often?" Amy asked. "If you only knew." Airie said. "I remember when I was that naive..." C.K. mumbled as she grabbed a fire extingisher.

Airie sighed and walked over the the lab door. "I hope Lite is having more fun than us."

* * *

Airie didn't need to worry about that, because Lite was having the time of his life. He was talking to Tails. For him, that was huge. She, due to being sick, didn't make that much of a deal or effort when she first talked to them, but Lite had more energy than she had. Tails was his favorite character, so why shouldn't he be energetic? She went over to where they sat, she and Lite being completely ingnorat to the fire behind him and that Sonic's shoe caught on fire when he tried to stomp it out.

"You're Airie's brother right?" Tails asked. "You bet!" Lite proclaimed. "Don't listen to him Tails. He's really my stepbrother." Airie said with a wink. "But I'm your brother either way!" Lite said. "Y'mean you guys aren't really realated?" Tails asked. "Nope." Aire said. "Just take a look." She pulled out her wallet and showed the side pocket thing full of photos. One was with a raven-haired girl with a blue high-light giving a noo-gie to a little blonde boy. "See? We don't look anything alike, here or back home."

Airie got up from where she sat. "Well, its about time for Man-Ho to do his you-know-what, Lite." She walked off to the lab door. Lite sighed and got up to follow her. "I really hoped he wouldn't do it here, of all places, but..." "What are you guys talking about? Does this have to do with Largo? Why does he have that nickname?" Tails asked. "If Airie and C.K. can stop him now, hopefully you'll never need to know why, Tails." Lite groaned. "But c'mon. We should leave before this gets ugly."

* * *

-15 minutes later-

Airie and C.K., for soon to be known reasons, were wearing gas masks and holding sticks with tazers on the ends. Largo was inside the lab, and for everyone's safety, the two girls had told them to stay out. As they entered the lab and went in deeper, they found something.

Clothes.

No, it wasn't lab coats, but a white shirt and a pair of shoes. They found more clothes on the way: socks, pants, and boxers. They followed the trail until they found Largo working at the computers.But something was verywrong withhim. Something VERY, verywrong.Immeadiately Airie and C.K. put hands over their faces.

"LARGO!" C.K. screamed. "For the name of all that's pure, good, and wonderful in this world PUT YOUR PANTS BACK ON!"

Yes, Largo stood there, in front of them, completely nude.(A/N: Don't I give you the best things to read?) "Why?" Largo questioned."Without the clothes to slow me down, I was able to get to each computer faster. There was no static dis-charge, and none of the chip sets were damaged."

Airie slowly inched away from the now boiling C.K., who's scream of frustration and disgust could be heard from outside the lab door. An akward silence had risen because of it until Airie walked out of the door. Her tazer on a stick was gone, and C.K. wasn't with her. She pulled off her gas mask and said. "Once C.K.'s done with Largo it'll be safe to go back in there." She and Lite started walking away from the door, not paying anyattention to the large bangs and screams of pain. (A/N: Time for another guessing game! But this one is pretty easy...)

"HENTAI!"  
"Get-!"  
"SUKEBE!"  
"Away from me-!"  
"EECHI!"  
"You psychotic echinda!"

This was followed by another silence. C.K. came out a few seconds later, dragging a clothed, burnt, and unconcious Largo away from them premisis. "Baka..."C.K. muttered under her breath. "If I knew you were coming, I would've brought your cage."

* * *

With a little help from Amy and Tails, Lite got settled in his room quickly. Afterwords, Tails returned Airie's wallet to Lite. Lite skimmed through the pictures, you can just imangine what he saw: one of all four of them together, Airie and C.K. doing a cosplay thing, Lite getting high scores on video games, and even C.K. trying torearange Largo's internal organs. And succeeding at that.He chuckled at them, letting his memories roam free, until Amy asked him "Did you know Airie before she became your sister?" "Yeah, I did." Lite said with a smile. "I'd tell you the story, but I have this very strong feeling that you wouldn't like it." "Oh c'mon! It can't be that bad." Tails said. "Actually, I just meant Amy wouldn't like it, but alright." Lite cleared his throat.

"It was only when I was your age, Tails. I was picked on alot, not because I like you guys or anything, but because I said that Amy was my favorite girl character and-"

"Aww, Lite, that's so sweet of you!" Amy squealed.  
"You want me to tell this story or not?" Lite said. Amy just giggled.

"Anyway, that was why I was picked on. I didn't have any friends my own age, and the closest things I did have to friends tortured me with mental abuse. They were saying that I wanted to...to..."

Lite was blushing furiously. "They said you wanted to what?' Amy asked. Lite bent over and whispered it in her ear, her already large enough eyes getting larger. "THEY SAID YOU WANTED TO DO _THAT_! WITH _ME_!" (A/N: Another 10,000 points to whoever guesses correctly what Lite said.) Lite vigorously shook his head up and down. "Told you you wouldn't like it..." he said. Amy calmed down. "Its alright. I'm fine now. Go on."

"Okay. Now, its just so happens, that Airie always passed my elementary school on the way home from her middle school. My 'friends' were torturing me in the playground and Airie saw them doing it. Being the completely 'punch-'em-in-the-face-first-and-ask-questions-later' person that she is, grabbed the closest thing she could find: a lead pipe. She took out a red marker and covered the pipe with marks. She came inside the playground and..."

_"Hey! Leave that kid alone!" cried a black haired girl. Some kids were pushing around a little blonde boy. They just smirked. "Oh YEAH? Well, what are YOU gonna do if we say no?" The girl just took something out from behind her back. "You've forced me to bring out The Lead Pipe Of Justice! Now say hello to my little friend!" She held a long lead pipe in her hands. All over the pipe was red, wet stains. "I just used it on a guy who flipped my friend's skirt at my school today..."she said, admiring the red fluid. "Yeah, I think he just went to the hospital." The girl didn't need to say anymore; the kids had run off . _

_She dropped the pipe and went over to the little boy. "You alright?" she asked as if nothing happened. "Y-yeah..." the boy said. "But what about that pipe? Is that really...?" "Blood?" the girl asked. "Nah. I just used a red marker on it. But from the look of how those kids acted when they saw it, I don't think that they'll dare bother you again." She walked toward the fence gate. "I'll be seeing you!" she called. "Wait! the boy yelled. "What's your name?" "Airie! Airie Keys!"_

"Airie and I became good friends after that day. I met her Mom, too. I didn't know her for very long though, because...well...of the incedent. Her aunt and uncle took her in, but they hated her mother and were total jerks to her because of it! They even said taking care of her would cost their son his job! After my parents found out, they didn't wnat a friend of mine to be treated like that. They talked things over with Airie's grandfather, and he said it'd be for the best if she let them adopt her. My parents always wanted a daughter anyway, and since we got along, that made things even easier. A week later, Airie's things were all packed up, and she was ready to move in with us."

_Airie's grandfather walked over to Lite. "Young man..." Lite was startled by this. He hadn't said a word to him."Huh...what?" "I want you to do you best to protect my grand-daughter from evil people, much like my daughter and myidiot son-in-law." "Grandpa! You can't mean that!" Airie's aunt yelled. "What? What did I say? It's the truth, after all." Lite laughed at this. Airie's grandfather turned back to him. "So, you think you can do that?" "Yes sir! I'll do my best!" Lite said._

"And that's how it all happened!" Lite finished."Wow, Lite!" Amy said amazed. "I thought you were one of those really annoying little brothers!" "But you're just an over-protective one, right?" Tails asked. "Yeah, pretty much." Lite shrugged. "BUT I can be annoying when I want to be!" "How so?" Amy asked. "Well, I'm not one to brag but I know everything about Airie, from her math scores to the color of her panties!" Lite proudly said.

Suddenly, a DVD case for Samurai Champloo whacked Lite unconsious, and a female voice yelled out:

"I CAN HEAR EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING LITE!"

As Amy helped Lite to his feet, Tails said, "Amy, do you know who said that?" "Airie, obviously." Amy said. "No, it wasn't Airie. She went ot sleep awhile ago after yelling at Lite 'I really understand the plot', or something like that."

"Wait, if Airie's in her room, then who would have-?" Before Amy could finish, C.K. walked in the room as if her life was completely perfect. She picked up the DVD case. "I'm sorry! I must have dropped this!" she said cheerfully. She left the room, leaving Amy and Tails to think about what just hapened.

* * *

Its time for the first ever Shirt Guy Knuckles! Yes people, I WAS serious. I'm not sure if this one is very funny, seeing how it is the first one, but I swear they will get funnier. This was just an idea I had for the first one, but I decided to turn the idea of making SGK itself into the first one! Making no sense? Then read!

**Shirt Guy Knuckles Episode 1- The FirstIdea For SGK**

**-inside a chat room with K.O. and Knuckles-**

**K.O.>- Hmmm...  
Knux>- So, what's the idea?  
K.O.>- Well, I call it 'Knuckles Sings Barry', and it goes a little something like this...**

**-to idea-**

**Knuckles- -singing- I do things that make the whole world scream! I wreak the havoc and chaos and every-thing! -thermo nuclear missles fly down from sky- Oh, Zombie! How you gurgled and sheirked when I shot you! And now your oozing away! Ohh Zombie! -parts of Knuckles fly of in different directions-**

**-back from idea-**

**K.O.>- So, whaddya think?  
Knux>- ...  
Knux>- I know where you live. No jury alive would convict me.  
K.O.>- Oh, c'mon, its cute.**


	15. Questions

K.O. – So? So? How'd it go? How'd it go?

Knuckles- Please stop asking that. It was my first day, and SGK still needs to catch on. Give me a break.

K.O.- ...Y'mean you want a KitKat bar?

Knuckles- -slaps forehead- Why do I have to be your favorite guy character! Why can't you be someone else's FanGirl!

K.O.- Because that would break the laws of fangirl-ness. And I think the laws of physics. Besides, would you really want C.K. as the opener of the fic?

Knuckles- What are you saying?

K.O.- Being the authoress has many perks. I have the ability to make it so that you and C.K. open the chapter. You would not do much due to the fact that she will crush every bone in your body in a hug, and if you try to escape she'll become Kagura from Fruits Basket and hunt you down, removing your spleen in the process.

Knuckles- ...Have I ever told you how much I love you being the authoress and opener of the fic?

**_mangagurl101_**- Honestly, don't I give you just the best stuff to read that make you feel the need to take a 5 hour shower?

**_Sonica-Sillya_**- Is Star just happy because the chaos won't be threatened?

**_Tsuki Nezumi_**- Knuckles is just chillin' somewhere else, but he'll be back for this chapter. For now, just consider him lucky he doesn't have to deal with Largo or C.K...yet, anyway.

**_Twilight-Link_**- Alastor will come in once Airie and Co. meet the other...-counts fingers- ...five 'you-know-whats' later. And of course you can put in another OC. Just send the info!

**_Kyo's wife Neko_**- Please, refer to me as Kawaii Overdose or K.O. here. I don't want people knowing my 'you-know-what', 'cause I'm just so weird like that. And I know you love your Fruits Basket! Oh I know, I know, oh don't I know...

**_lugia flyhight_**- Thanks for the support. I have read that story, but haven't got the chance to review yet. But I promise I will!

**_Shadowkiller27_**- Hey, somebody needs to be the retard. I have over 7 friends who are and are proud of it. Largo is just oblivious to the fact that he's in a hangover. How he is, I don't know. You can forget about the Krystal thing. Just a joke. And I didn't understand you second review one bit, just so you know.

And before any of you even think about asking, the answer is NO. Lite and Amy absolutely positively CANNOT be a couple. My good friend and the creator of Lite was nice enough to me so I could at least make Lite and Amy friends, so don't make me push my luck, or else he'll make Lite shove tater tots and ham down my throat. And if you ever want this story finished, we wouldn't want that to happen now would we?

* * *

RECAP: As Amy helped Lite to his feet, Tails said, "Amy, do you know who said that?" "Airie, obviously." Amy said. "No, it wasn't Airie. She went to sleep awhile ago after yelling at Lite 'I really understand the plot', or something like that." 

"Wait, if Airie's in her room, then who would have-?" Before Amy could finish, C.K. walked in the room as if her life was completely perfect. She picked up the DVD case. "I'm sorry! I must have dropped this!" she said cheerfully. She left the room, leaving Amy and Tails to think about what just happened.

* * *

In the few moments of the previous day that Lite and Largo had stayed with them, Largo was only considered a danger hazard, C.K. threatened to beat him with a club multiple times, and Airie and Lite were dubbed the only two sane of the four. 

So, pretty much everything in Airie's life was back to normal.

Yet, something still bothered Airie as she flew around the city. _'What was up with that blue fox before?'_ she wondered. They still hadn't figured out its mystery. Airie didn't tell anyone about that yet, and for good reasons. _'Largo would think I'm some kind of zombie and would want to experiment on me, Lite would refuse and go into his 'overprotective mode', and C.K. would still be hyperventilating from the moment I mentioned that I even spoke with Knuckles.'_

The whole situation of figuring out the fox's identity seemed very hopeless. The fox wasn't a being of science, so Tails and Chuck wouldn't know anything about it. Sonic wouldn't know since he's pretty much terrified of water. Amy was too concerned with trying to keep up with Sonic. Cream's to young so she wouldn't know anything. And Chris barely even knew what their home planet was like. For a moment, Airie thought Knuckles might know, but then shook her head. He didn't even know Chaos and Tikal existed yet and barely knew anything about past echidnas, so how could he? Airie was just about to give up on it until she remembered one little thing.

Who do we know who's well over 10,000 years old and been in contact with magic ever since he was born? The one person who might have the answers.

Airie made a quick mental note to herself. _'Make that 'chao'.'_

She took a look down at the area she was in. She was right by the jeweler's, and just as she saw before, Topaz was sitting in the bench across the street. Airie was also sure that she saw a glimpse of white in the tree behind the bench. Figures. Rouge wouldn't really count on someone with the same wing-span as her to see her hiding in a tree. Just then, the two figures moved over to the shop. Of course, Airie knew what this meant, and she landed to get a better look. Just as she did, Chris's father walked out carrying a small black box and climbed into a limo. She saw Rouge and Topaz grin.

Rouge looked over Airie's way and noticed her. "Hey, you're that girl from before." she said. "Yeah. What of it?" Airie asked. "Well, just so you know, I'm gonna be after that Chaos Emerald you found then, so you might want to keep an eye on it." Rouge said. "I would, if I had it." Airie said in Rouge's tone. "And just so you know, your plan to get that Emerald you saw right now...yeah, it just ain't gonna work." "Plan? What plan? I don't know what your talking about." Rouge said. Airie had to give it to the bat: She was a great actress. But Airie was smarter than that. "Sorry Rouge. Playing innocent won't work. I know you better." She started walking away but before she left she said "And by the way, you might want to hide in better places than trees. I could practically see your wings coming out."

For the first time Airie had even seen, Rouge was left speechless. Seeing her success in ticking her off, Airie flapped her wings and was airborne again.

* * *

Airie flew back as fast as she could. She needed to talk to Gaga. (A/N: No, she was gonna go talk to Cheese) Surely he would have the answer she needed. And if Gaga didn't know, she was definitely going to pull her own hair out. She found him in the kitchen, eating an entire jar of peanut butter, and she asked him about Mystery Fox. 

And it really looked that she would have to pull her hair out when she talked to him about it.

"C'mon Gaga!" she pleaded. "There must be something! Doesn't the Gate Keeper have some kind of...I don't know,ally who doesn't have a relation to her duties and who can summon magical kitsunes? Please! I'm desperate!" "I'm sorry, Miss Airie." Gaga said as he finished off the PB. "But I don't know. If it does mean anything, I'd need the Book Of The Ancients to look it up, and I really don't want to have to go all the way to the rift between the Demon World and Heaven. They're great enemies, the rift is very far from the Human World and-" He cut himself off when he saw Largo walk into the kitchen and grab a box of Oaty O's Cereal.(A/N: Go on. Guess why.) Gaga gave the best glare his chao face would let him. Airie saw this and used it to her advantage.

"You don't like Largo, do you?" she said slyly. "He made Lady Chihiro frustrated. I don't like it when somebody makes Lady Chihiro frustrated." Gaga pouted. "Well then, how about we make a deal?" Airie said. "You get the Book Of The Ancients thing for me, and I'll stick some virus pain straight up Largo's processor, if you know what I mean. Are we clear?" She held out a finger. Gaga looked at it and smiled evilly. "Crystal clear." he said shaking her finger.

* * *

Conveniently after Airie and Gaga worked out their scheme, Chuck called Chris downstairs. His father called and wanted him, Sonic, and all of the others to meet him at the city where Lindesy was filming her new movie. Amy and C.K. were ecstatic. Amy was because that was where the stars lived, and C.K. was because she remembered Knuckles was going to come. Did Airie perchance talk to C.K. about how Knuckles might want to not be crushed in a hug given by someone with the strength of a steam roller? 

Hell no. Airie's evil side wanted to see this.

Gaga flew over to the door. "Well, you all enjoy yourselves. I'm off to the Demon World!" He was almost out, but C.K. grabbed him. "Just what do you need to go to the Demon World for?" she asked. "Umm...uhh." he stammered. He looked to Airie for backup. She was giving signals to make something up. "You know...to do...Steward stuff...?" he said. Airie smacked her forehead. But to her surprise, C.K. let him go. "I guess everyone's entitled to their secrets." She shurgged and patted him on the head. "You go have fun now!" Airie nodded at Gaga who said "Oh yes Lady Chihiro! I will!" And with that he flew out the door.

After that, everyone started to get ready to leave. Airie went to her room and grabbed her laptop. "What do you need that for?" C.K. asked her when she came out of her room. Airie took a quick look at Largo in his room, trying to make a computer out of the cereal box, spare robot parts, gum, and a bird feeder. "Oh, just to keep a promise..." Airie said.

* * *

Down to the point where they met Nelson at the studio, the reaction between the Chaos Emerald he had and the one Sonic had was seen not only by them, but by Knuckles, too. His red emerald glowed brighter than ever before as he walked near the edge of the woods. In the distance he could see Station Square. He stared at it, then at the Emerald, then jumped down the edge and ran towards the city.

* * *

Back at the mansion, Largo had completed his 'computer'. It really worked too. Airie and the others had to give him that much. 

But, only that much.

Being the total L337 person that he is, he went on to one of those world-wide online player things.(A/N: Think RuneScape) He typed in his screen name, 'Z0MB135.R.R34L', and began to check his mail from fellow L337 ones. He was just about to kill an undead munchkin, when he received a challenge letter.

"Hmm...from '.x.Angelic.Twilight.x.'." Largo said reading his letter."Why does that name sound so familiar? ...No matter!" He grabbed a controller he hooked into the computer instead of a mouse. "Time for someone to get pwnd!"

He waited five minutes for his opponent to arrive. In the meantime, he 'polished' his 'shuriken'. In the cyber world, he was a ninja. Which he thought was awesome. Finally his opponent came, but they weren't what Largo expected.

**"Ahh, I have been waiting for..."** NinjaLargo said as he turned around. But for a split second he lost the ability to talk, or in this case type. **"...j00?"**

In front of him was a female ninja, wearing a skin-tight purple outfit and a gas mask, and carrying a huge boomerang on her back. She pulled it out in front of her and said, **"Alright, let's get this over with. I'm on the clock here!"**

Largo shook off his stunned state. **"Female or not, you are still going down!"** he said.

* * *

Nelson had just closed the box containing the violet Emerald. He looked around, scratching his head, wondering what that light was. Sonic and the others seemed to have figured it out, and followed him as he left for the stage. Everyone except for Airie and C.K. that is. Airie was pressing keys on her laptop frantically, and C.K. was twitching happily. They eventually did leave, both thinking the same thing for different reasons. 

_'Largo...you are mine!'_ Airie yelled in her head as she fought Largo.  
_'Knuckles...you are mine!' _C.K. yelled in her head as she felt his arrival drawing nearer and nearer.

* * *

Somewhere inside the city, Knuckles sneezed and a chill went up his spine. _'Someone must be talking about me...'_ he thought with a bad feeling inside.

* * *

"Grr...no! Ah ha! Powerlink!" 

I'll give you ten cookies if can guess who this is.

**"HA! SOON .x.ANGELIC.TWILIGHT.x., YOU SHALL FEEL THE COMPLETE OWNAGE OF L337 M4ST3R L4RGO!"**

Is you guessed Largo, the cookies are chocolate chip.

But to be more precise, this Largo was the computer ninja version, and was unknowingly fighting Airie, a high-level female ninja assasin.When she joined this online game even I have no clue.

The 'assassin' fought gracefully, dodging everyone of Largo's attacks. She fought back with some deadly moves her own, depleting Largo's life points. When he was at fifty, Airie pressed a key combination and her laptop. "Heh, let's see him reprogram this!"

Back to Largo, he was trying to type in a code to increase his life points, when his modem started to fry. "Wha..? NO!" he yelled as the modem started to smoke. He grabbed a spare cereal box and some duct tape, and the modem was fixed in no time. He looked back at the screen with a grim look on his face. "So...someone wants to pl4y ruff..." he said.

But before he could do anything, NinjaLargo was killed. While he was fixing the modem, Airie had knocked the ninja stuffing out of him. He didn't even seem to notice until Airie typed in, **"You are aware that you lost, right?"** Largo didn't say anything to that. He just collapsed.

* * *

Airie must have guessed what happened, because Largo didn't respond with his usual "DI3!" phrase. Feeling her victory, she closed her laptop, and looked around for C.K. who had disappeared before. When she found C.K. her appearance had gone from kowai to kawaii. She was acting all cute, pretending to sweep the set with her broom for the fun of it. Airie even thought she heard her sing to herself 'Knuckles-Chan, Knuckles-Chan, All for me, Knuckles-Chan!'. She saw this right away as an attempt to get Knuckles' attention. 

Unfortunately for C.K., her efforts were put to waste. Knuckles did come to the set...but he came on the other side where Sonic was. C.K. was so happy she didn't even noticed she screwed up her own plan! Airie slowly walked over to them, not wanting to make a sound to give away Knuckles' location.

"Sonic, what's going on?" Knuckles asked. "Nothing yet." Sonic said. "We did find a Chaos Emerald, but I think we should wait a little longer before we take it." "Why?" Knuckles asked. "Because then we'd ruin a very 'thoughtful' idea for a anniversary." Airie said as she walked over. "What are you doing here?" Knuckles said at her arrival. Airie got a weird look in her eye. "I live with them." she said pointing to Sonic. "And one might assume that if they go somewhere, I would go along with them." "Jeeze, Knuckles. You're missing the obvious today." Sonic said sarcastically. Right when Sonic said 'Knuckles', C.K. turned her head around so fast a very loud crack was heard from her neck. Airie saw this and her eyes widened.

"Knuckles." she said. "Run. Now."  
C.K. mounted her broom...  
"What? Why?" Knuckles asked.  
She kicked her feet off the ground...

"No time to explain. Just go!" As Airie pushed him out of the way, shesaw Lite coming through a door with Tails and Amy. "Lite! Hold her!" Airie yelled. Lite saw C.K. and Knuckles, and guessing what happened, ran over an grabbed the back of C.K.'s broom. She didn't notice. She just kept a crazed and wicked smile on her face as she kept her eyes on 'the prize'. At this point, Airie had grabbed Knuckles' hand and dragged him behind some background scenery. "Just WHAT was that about!" Knuckles yelled. Airie kept a look out. Lite was losing his grip on C.K.'s broom, but was still able to hold her back. "Trust me. For your own safety, you won't move a muscle." "What do you mean 'for my own safety'!" "Do you really want your small intestines pouring out your mouth?" "Pfft, yeah right." Knuckles said. "Look, I don't know what's gotten into you, but I can take care of myself. I'm leaving." He started to walk away into the open. "Knuckles NO!" Airie yelled. At that moment, Lite lost his grip on C.K., who came charging straight towards Knuckles from all the speed she built up. He didn't even have time to move, she had picked him up and had him in a hug. C.K. was squealing. Knuckles was gagging. Airie and Sonic watched in slight amusement.

What happened next was pretty much what happened in any 'Amy-Chases-Sonic' moment, only this time 'Amy' had knocked 'Sonic' unconscious. Actually, Knuckles was feigning sleep to get this crazy girl off of him. C.K. thought she really did knock him out and set him on the ground. "Well that didn't go well for a good first impression..." she muttered to herself. "Maybe next time you shouldn't try to kill him." Airie said."I wasn't trying too..." C.K. said. "I know, I know. But when he wakes up, try being a little calmer. Control your inner fangirlie-ness." Airie winked at Knuckles who 'woke up'. "What hit me?" he asked pretending to rub his head. C.K. kneeled beside him. "Knuckles-Sama...I mean, Knuckles-San..." she said twiddling her thumbs. "Gomen nasaii." C.K. bowed her head in apology. Knuckles looked to Airie on what to do next. She pretended not to notice. Sighing, Knuckles roughly patted C.K. on the head. "Relax, I'm ok now. You don't need to be sorry." he said. C.K. sat there,completely still for a few seconds, before shooting up, clutching her head and crying "I'M HAVING THE TOP OF MY HEAD SURGICALLY REMOVED AND THEN BOX-FRAMED!" And with that she flew away.

Airie helped Knuckles up. "What was that all about?" he asked. "Just one of your many loyal fangirls." Airie said with a smile. "A little more crazed than most, but still a good friend."

* * *

After Airie and Lite convinced C.K. not to hire professional surgeons to remove the top of her head, things seemed to go back to normal. The keyword here is _seemed_. That doesn't mean things will stay that way. 

First off, Chris's teacher Stuart showed up. Airie knew he was undercover, but played along. She didn't want Stuart to get in trouble with his supervisor, or whoever his boss was.

Secondly, C.K. made no more attempts to smother Knuckles again. C.K. plus Not Doing Something Knuckles-related equals C.K. must be taken to the happy hotel by the men in the white coats immediately.

Last, was when Nelson came out in his costume. The first time Airie saw the episode, she screamed bloody murder when she saw it. Every time after, she needed to be blindfolded. This time though, Airie wasn't scared. She'd seen scarier things in Lite's closet.

Everything went smoothly until Nelson tripped, which caused the box to open, which caused the reaction between the Chaos Emeralds, which caused blowouts all over the set. C.K. screamed and hid behind Knuckles, while Amy and Cream hid behind Tails and Lite. "Nelson! What are you doing!" Airie yelled. "Put the Emerald back in the box now!" Sonic added. "Allow me." Tanaka said stepping forward. (A/N: Yes, Tanaka was there too for those who don't remember) He simply picked up the box and shut it, not paying any heed to the shocked faces of Nelson and Lindsey. He had grown used to everything that had happened so far, so this wasn't any different. "Can we get it _now_?" Knuckles asked in a bored tone. "Wouldn't make that much of a difference if we did." Airie said. "What?" "He'll be here in about 3...2...1."

Right on que, Eggman showed up. He blasted through the roof, followed by on of his robots.(A/N: I can't really explain it. If you want I'll send you the screen shot)"Heh, wondered when you were gonna show up!" Sonic said. "Sonic, Eggman HAS to show up. Otherwise there's not much of a plot now is there?" C.K. said sarcastically. Sonic murmured something inaudible, but said nothing else. "What's wrong? Too scared to insult a girl?" C.K. smirked. "Shut up!" Sonic yelled.

Soon a fight broke out. C.K. started to give out all of Sonic's flaws, to which he couldn't make better insults. Knuckles enjoyed the Sonic-bashing. Eggman saw this as the perfect moment to take the Chaos Emerald. They were all so busy fighting they didn't even notice that he picked it up, but it was only to be snatched out of his hands by Rouge who flew out the hole in the roof. The only one who did notice was Airie, who's anger vein had grown larger with each insult. "GUYS! STOP FIGHTING!" Airie yelled. Everyone stopped. "In case you haven't noticed, the thing we're all after is gone!" They all looked down at the empty box left behind.

"Oops..." C.K. said blushing in embarrassment.

Airie looked to the sky, as if asking herself 'Why me?'. She saw a little black dot up on the horizon. At first glance, Airie didn't think much of if, but after studying it a bit longer she saw that something didn't seem right about it. It was too close to be a plane, but too far to a bird. And it was heading up, not across.Airie's eyes widened in glee at the realization of their second chance. "Knuckles!" she said. "How far do you think you can boost me up?" Airie pointed to the dot. Knuckles grinned and answered. "Only one way to find out."

While Sonic and C.K. watched in confusion, he put his hands out in front of him, to which Airie placed one foot on. She held on to one of his shoulders for support as she narrowed her wings in a bit. She kept her eyes on the small dot, which was slowly getting farther away.

"Ready?" Knuckles asked ready to launch.  
"Ready." Airie said.

Knuckles put all his strength in his arms. He thrusted Airie straight up like a bullet. Soon, she too was just a dot in the sky.

* * *

Rouge smiled at her prize as she flew away from the set. _'Taking this Emerald was way too easy!' _she thought. _'I'll have to thank that echidna girl one day. She was a great distraction!' _She was so certain that victory was hers, she didn't hear the small whooshing noise till it was too late. When she moved her had up to gaze at the jewel, it was gone. 

"What! But how!" A whistle gave Rouge her answer. There Airie was, tossing the Emerald up and down triumphantly. "You...! Give me that Emerald now!" Rouge growled. Airie put up a finger, placed it beneath her eye, and pulled it down, along with sticking out her tongue. Once she made her point, she dove back down to earth, leaving behind a very pissed Rouge.

* * *

Once Airie flew through the hole back into the set, she was greeted by Lite and Amy.(A/N: Who will NEVER be a couple in case you didn't read my mini-rant!) "Airie! You gotta help 'em!" Lite said. "Sonic, Knuckles, and C.K. can't hold off that robot much longer!" Amy said. Airie already knew where they were. "Alright. Lite, I'm gonna need your help on this. Amy, you just make sure no one else is in the building, then get out of here yourself." They both nodded yes, and Airie and Lite ran off to help the others. 

By this point, they robot had moved them to the room with the weird aquarium. "Y'know I still don't know why they have that thing in a movie set. Those aren't even real fish." Lite said. "Haven't you ever wondered how they did those scenes in Jaws?" Airie smirked. They found everyone in the aquarium maze just in time to see Knuckles and C.K. be flung by its tail. Knuckles landed on his feet and caught C.K. in his arms. In reaction to this, C.K. blushed, squealed, and fainted.

"Please tell me she's not always like this." Knuckles said setting her down.  
"If only I could."Airie said  
Lite gulped. He didn't want to be flung around like that. "M-Ma bye I should stay with C.K., j-just to make sure she doesn't get hurt?" he stammered hopefully.

"Yeah. C.K. won't be of much help without Gaga, anyway." Airie said. She and Knuckles started to run back to the fight, but Airie yelled one last thing to Lite.

"Don't let me down, Scaredy McChicken-Ton!"  
"HEY!"

As they got closer to the fight, they saw the robot had pinned Sonic down. Now, in case you don't remember, the whole aquarium is shaped somewhat like a U. Sonic and the robot were on the caved in side of the U. After explaining this to Knuckles, Airie called over to Sonic to jump over the tank. Not wanting to get pummeled, Sonic obeyed. Knuckles punched the glass as Airie instructed, but something went wrong.

The glass wouldn't break.

"Wha...Why isn't it working!" Airie cried. "Its too thick. I can't break it myself. Punch it with me!" Knuckles said. They both raised their fists back, and struck in unison. Not even a scratch. Now they were mad. "Lite! Get over here!We need you!" Airie yelled to her brother. He ran over taking his gun out of its holster. While Airie and Knuckles punched, Lite tried to shoot. The glass still didn't break, but instead made a vibration that caused Sonic, who was trying to balance himself on the edge of the tank, to fall in. They all watched helplessly as he sank in. Lite tried shooting some more and Knuckles kept punching, but nothing worked. Airie stepped back in horror.

_'No...'_ she thought. _'This was supposed to work, but...why? Have we really lost?'_

An unfamiliar voice entered her mind. It sounded strong and firm, yet young and soothing, like the waves of the ocean.**_'No, you haven't. But we will if we don't act quickly.' _**

Airie thought she might have finally snapped. _'What?Who are you? How are you in my mind? What do you mean 'we'? I don't...'  
__**'I will explain all in good time. Right now, we have to save your friend.'  
**'But how! The only way we could didn't work, and we can't get in any other way!'  
__**'You have me, and the water before you is our way in.  
**'I don't know who or where you are, but come out so you can help us!'  
__**'You're the one who has to do that. I can come out, but only through you.'  
**'Through...me?'  
__**'Yes. Its the only way. Let me through, and I can help you.'  
**'How can I trust you? How do I know you won't try to destroy us?  
_**_'Ask yourself this: Do you have any other choice?'  
_**Airie looked at Sonic's floating form sinking faster and faster. _'...No.'  
**'I promise I won't hurt you. Now let me through...'**_

"Just remember...you promised..." Airie whispered loudly. Knuckles and Lite turned around with confused faces. Airie had closed her eyes and unclenched her hands. She felt a cool wave of energy flow through her body. The same blue aura from the Lady Ninja battle had come back, but this time Airie was ready for it. This time she would know how she did it. She would finally get her answers. Hopefully.

Her eyes opened in a flash, pupils dilated. Her two chakrams, which had changed into the double-blade, was held tight in her hands. And behind her, still as blue and mysterious as ever, stood Water Tails. Only this time, he seemed..._happy_? Before, he had no emotion, a blank face. Now it looked like he was going to burst out in laughter. Airie began to walk, turning into a jog, then into a charge. Knuckles, already with the experience, realized what was going to happen and grabbed Lite, still stunned by his sister's transformation, by the tail and away from the tank. Airie held out the sword's end and drove it into the glass. Every part of it cracked and glass was flown everywhere, but it never touched Airie or Water Tails.

Water was spewn everywhere. Sonic fell to his knees and gasped for air. Airie didn't move and neither did the fox. Knuckles and Lite ran to Sonic. "Sonic! Are you alright?" Lite asked. Knuckles and Sonic looked at him weirdly. "Sorry. Standard question." Lite said quickly."I think I'm fine, but what about Airie!" Sonic said. "Its that fox from before. I'm sure Airie told you about it." Knuckles explained. "When he showed up, Airie could control the water in the area." "And just how does he do that?" Lite asked. "If either of us knew don't you think we would have told you by now?" Knuckles said. C.K. had woken up by this time and had come running over to them, and she did not seem happy. "OK, I know you guys are just making sure Sonic's not hurt, wondering why Airie's glowing, and all that, but uh...WHAT ABOUT THE GIANT ROBOT!" In everything that had happened, the boys forgot completely about the robot that they were trying to beat and that ironically it was coming closer to them.

"Aww, smoof..." Lite said.

"Wait...where'd all the water go?" Sonic asked. All the water that had been spilled was gone, leaving the floor as dry as a desert. They saw a few trickles being sucked over to where Airie stood. Or rather,where Airie used to stand. She was now slightly floating, hands on the opposite arm's shoulder, water creating a bubble around her. The fox had become a mass of pure energy that had started to fly around the bubble, making sure not a drop was wasted. They were sure they heard her whisper 'Aqua Edge'.Once all of it was around Airie, she released her hands.The bubble burst and the water, which was literally flying, transformed into long, thin blades. Each cut through the robot's hard metal skin like it was paper, and soon it was no more. Strangely enough, nothing was wet, even though water flew to nearly every corner of the room. Just the pieces of the robot that fell to the ground, and nothing more

Airie's feet clicked as they lightly tapped the floor. The blue aura was gone, her chakrams returned to normal, and her pupils became their original shape again. Our little blue fox friend, however, did not go away like before. Airie didn't notice. She took a deep breath, then let her body fall to the ground, where she would encounter a deep and dreamless sleep. Water Tails bent down and put his arms under her legs and back, while the others ran over to aid their fallen friend.

"Alright. Just who or what are you!" Knuckles yelled. "What did you do to my sister!" Lite yelled just as loud. Water Tails had lifted Airie up as he spoke. "Don't worry. Casting Aqua Edge just took a lot out of her. She'll be fine once she wakes up. For now, just let her rest." "But...who are you and how did Airie do that?" C.K. asked. "That is a long story. It would be for the best for me to explain later. Besides, I know Miss Airie want some answers from me, too." Water Tails made his way over to the door.

"We should go. The others are waiting." He said without looking back.

* * *

Eggman looked the Emerald over. Amidst all the confusion, he grabbed it when it fell out of Airie's pocket. But that girl still troubled him. He saw her command that water and use it to destroy his robot._'That girl's power is immense.'_ he thought. _'With strength like that, it would be no problem to conquer this planet!'_ An evil grin spread across his face. "Perhaps an persuasion of changing sides is in order..." he said to himself. **

* * *

**

GASPED! I did it! Its finally done! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Thank you sooo much guys! you've all been so patient while I tried to finish this and balance everything else, what with the homework, the writer's block, and the science project I'll be lucky to at least get a C on! YOU GUYS ROCK! -cries and hugs- Now, to relive every significant moment of this chapter, its Shirt Guy Knuckles!

**Shirt Guy Knuckles Episode 2: Knuckles-Chan No Ribbon?**

**Knuckles- Due to K.O. having severe comedic writer's block, not much is happening for this SGK. K.O. is taking a small break due to stress from too much homework.**

**-to K.O.- **

**K.O.- -in a corner- I can't go back, not there...Algebra and English...they'll tie me to the stake, and then History and Gym...they'll burn the hay beneath my feet...and I don't even want to think about what Spanish and Science will do to me...**

**-back- **

**Knuckles- Sonic still has his problems, but is still doing his best to be in this fic. Or at least keep his liver.**

**-to Sonic-**

**Sonic- -being chased by random Sonic haters- HELP MEEE!  
****Random Sonic Hater #5- Hey, let's make him wear a dress! THEN kill him!  
Random Sonic Hater #823- I'll get Amy's! I wanna see him in a panty shot!  
Random Sonic Hater #1407- Oh! Oh! Make him wear a thong! Make him wear a thong!  
Sonic- PLEASE HAVE MERCY!**

**-back-**

**Knuckles- And that, somehow brings us to Shadow. Even though he's not in the fic yet, he's still...just being Shadow.**

**-to Shadow-**

**Shadow- ...Which, of course, means that I am the new lord of FanFiction! All must bow before...what the! -sparkles appear on Shadow- Wh...What's happening to me! -gags and chokes- Genki kimi ga suki, ima ha todku de miteru yo!**

**-back-**

**Knuckles- Man, did that have any humor to it? Sorry folks. I just read what K.O. gives me. Sue her if its not funny! ...However if it is funny, please send $5,000 in cash to...to me! Yeah, that'll work out niiiiiicely, a-MMMMFFFF!  
K.O.- Sorry 'bout that folks. Knuckles tends to get carried away when it comes to money. Good thing we have duct tape.**


	16. And Their Answers

K.O.- YEAH! Now we're getting somewhere!

Sonic- Seems to me we're back at Square 1.

K.O.- How so?

Sonic- Well, Airie seems to be asking all these questions that seem to go under the category of 'What is my destiny?' and 'Is there life after death?'. She'll never get a satisfying answer, and we all know it. You're just delaying the inevitable. You'll run out of answers to give and soon this fic will be no-

K.O.- -brain snaps and falls to the ground drooling-

Sonic- Uhh...-pokes-

K.O.- -jumps up- SAUCY CHIPMUNKS!

Knuckles- Stop using big words. You just broke her brain.

Sonic- Whoops...

K.O- -takes out dagger- MWEH HEH HEH! I GOT MEH STABBIN' KNIFE!

Knuckles- You know what Sonic? This is your fault. We're gonna die now, and it's your fault.

Sonic- Why is it my fault?

Knuckles- Well, you know that thing you do where you open your mouth and words come out? You should really stop doing that..

**_Shadowkiller27_**- You really thought the SGK was that funny? I thought it had a lot to be desired. Ah well. There won't be one for today. Instead...something else will takes its place.-low evil laughter can be heard in the background-

**_Carolyn The Hedgehog_**- It's very good to know I'm not the only one out there. I'm not sure about you, but my brain go squish-squish-splat when confronted with science.

**_mangnagurl101_**- Thanks once again for your enthusiasm.

**_Jazzerman_**- Thanks. I probably would have done something related to the original show or the comics, but I haven't seen the old show in so long, and since the only comic I have is the one where they start high school, you can understand why I didn't do that. And I don't think I used Japanese words a lot, though. I only made Amy do it once, and the only reason C.K. does it is because...well, she's Japanese. But I thank you for your reply in any case.

**_Sonica-Sillya_**- Before I decide I'll need to see if Foxie can fit in with the plot, but the answer is most likely yes. It would help a lot if she is in fox mode.

**_Twilight-Link_**- I'm glad you like the idea. It will be put into action very soon, very soon...I hope.

**_Raine Wolfwinter_**- I'll need the gender before I use Raine, but I'm fairly sure Raine's a girl.(you may chase me with a chainsaw if I'm incorrect. I'd probably deserve it)

**_chaogirl_**- It's the same as **_Sonica-Sillya_**. I'll need to see if Chris fits with the plot, but I'm very sure I can get her in.

* * *

RECAP: Eggman looked the Emerald over. Amidst all the confusion, he grabbed it when it fell out of Airie's pocket. But that girl still troubled him. He saw her command that water and use it to destroy his robot. _'That girl's power is immense.'_ he thought. _'With strength like that, it would be no problem to conquer this planet!'_ An evil grin spread across his face. "Perhaps an persuasion of changing sides is in order..." he said to himself.

* * *

Sleep. 

Something Airie really needed.

But wasn't going to get too much of.

Her slumber only lasted a few hours. Her eyelids, much to her displeasure, opened slowly, due to someone howling in laughter. She saw the blurred shapes of the others, mainly C.K. and Lite, hovering over her. The one laughing realized she was waking up, and walked over too her. The voice sounded familiar, but Airie couldn't put her finger on it. When she got her vision back completely, she wasn't too surprised at what she saw.

Emerald green eyes. Very close to hers.

DeJa-Vu.

"Hey, she's alive!" Sonic yelled.

She raised a fist and rammed it into Sonic's face, while sitting upright at the same time. Sonic fell to the floor. He raised a finger and said, "She's ok!". Then the finger fell back down with a thud.

Airie took in her surroundings. They were no longer at the room where the aquarium used to be, but in the spare room they entered on arrival. She was lying in a makeshift bed. She also had a pounding headache. She put a hand to her head, wincing a little. "Guys...what happened?" she moaned. C.K. rushed to her side and pushed her back down. "Airie, you need to rest." she said. 'That battle took a lot out of you." "I would still be sleeping if Sonic hadn't been laughing so hard." Airie said. "Why were you laughing anyway, Sonic?" Sonic started to slowly inch to the door, but Knuckles grabbed his arm. "Don't do it Knux!" Lite warned. "My sister can be a walking bomb when she wants to be." Knuckles smirked evilly, to which C.K. silently squealed. "Why do you think I'm going to ask?" he said. "Oh, I get it." Lite said smirking with him.

"Now then Sonic..."Knuckles said. "Why don't you tell Airie what you found so funny in her laptop?" Sonic chuckled nervously. Airie exploded. "You were snooping in my laptop!" she yelled. "That thing has my diary on it! Just what did you look at!" "N-Nothing!" Sonic stammered. "I was listening to the music you had downloaded on it and I found this file called 'DiaJuJuBee'. I didn't know that it was your diary! I didn't even see much anyway. Just something about a guy named Dan and that he tried to look up your sk-YEEP!"

Airie had jumped right out of the bed in an attempt to tackle Sonic, but he jumped out of the way, and took her shoes ,apparently thinking she couldn't follow him that way. Airie ran out the door. "SONIC!" she screamed. "GIMME BACK MY SHOES SO I CAN KICK YOUR ASS!" She was about to run after him, but C.K. and Lite held her back by her bare feet. She struggled to get away, but it was to no avail. "Why didn't you guys try to stop him when he was reading it...?" she said giving up. "We tried but..." C.K. started. "By the time we realized he was reading it, he ran away and we couldn't find him." Lite finished. "He just burst through the door, acting like a hyena a little while before you woke up."

Airie sat back down on the bed. "I way too tired to be dealing with this..." she moaned. Knuckles came up to her, a bit confused. "Uh, it's none of my business or anything, but...you named your diary _JuJuBee. _...Please explain why."(A/N: My older sister recently got a chao in SA2. She named it JuJuBee(Don't ask)) Airie sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "Many a strange thing that large amounts of caffeine and chocolate can do to a person." she said patting his shoulder. "Amen to that, sista." Lite said.

Seeing Lite brought Water Tails back to the front of Airie's mind. "Hey, where'd blue boy go?" she asked. "Airie, Sonic just ran away because-" Lite started. "No, no. The other blue boy. Water Tails." Someone tapped her shoulder. "Right here." Airie jumped. Water Tails had been behind her the whole time. "Jeeze...!" Airie gasped. "Way to give me a heart attack!"

He bowed in a very gentlemanly-way. "I apologize. It was never my intention to frighten you, Miss Airie." He took her hand and raised it up to his face. "You have honored me greatly. Thank you for summoning me first." He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it.

Awkward silence.

Airie blushed very hard and a shiver ran through her body from top to bottom. For a moment, she lost the ability to see.

C.K. and the others stared in a mixed state of shock and confusion.

Lite twitched in anger.

As Water Tails kissed her hand, a mark drew itself on his cheek. No one saw it at first though. Lite had tackled him to the ground, bringing Airie back to the world of the sighted.

"Don't you touch my sister again!" Lite yelled as he pulled Water Tails' ears. "I-OW-had to-YEEH-to com-HEY-plete the-WATCH IT-seal!" Lite's victim yelled. Lite didn't stop. Instead, he banged W.T.'s head on the ground, then grabbed his wrist and began to make him punch himself. "Stop hitting yourself! Stop hitting yourself! Stop hitting yourself!" Lite screamed. Finally, Airie and C.K. came to their senses and pulled Lite off him. W.T. started to get up. "Thank you Miss Airie. Your assistance is greatly-UWEH!" Airie grabbed him by his non-existent collar and stared at him straight in the eye. "OK..." she said right before she began to throttle him. "I want to know...JUST WHO ARE YOU! HOW DID I DO THAT! And more importantly, WHY THE HELL DID YOU KISS ME!" W.T.'s voice was garbled, due to being shaken so much, but everyone got the general idea when he said "I CWAN EXPWAIN! JUST SWET ME DOWN!"

Airie did so, and W.T. took a few moments to crack his neck. "Alright. Explanation time. But it may take a awhile..." he said once he finished. Airie leaned against the wall. "Hey, right now, I got all the time in the world." she said. W.T. continued. "Well, it goes something like this..."

* * *

Largo awoke, seemingly forgetting all about getting pwnd by Airie. Having no purpose at the moment, he began to wander the halls of Chris's mansion. He was alone, as Ella and Tanaka left earlier to get Chris and Cream. 

While he walked, Largo thought about something.(A/N: Wait. LARGO thought? WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!) If everyone was gone, and no one could protect Station Square, someone would need to take over for them. He could do that, he could just deploy his PH34R-BOTS. But he would need help. There was only one person he could think of: his made up character, a ninja chameleon named Cameo.(A/N: Check my profile for the info)But he wasn't real, and Largo didn't have anyone else to turn to.

When he got near to the corner of the hall, he heard someone struggling. A creepy, smug smile spread on his face. It shouldn't be too long before-

"AIIIEEE!"

And Bingo was his name-o.

Dashing around the corner, Largo found his captured prey. But it wasn't what he expected it to be.

"After going through all of that...escaping the Valley of Thorns...jumping over the Sea of Acid...and having to out-run those vampire goats...I have to deal with this..." whined Gaga. He cried little chao tears as he hung from a net attached to the ceiling. So close, and yet so far.

"Oh, it's just you." Largo said. Gaga got angry. "Get away from me!" he yelled. "It's your fault I'm in here, your fault I failed my job, and YOUR FAULT I can't deliver the Book Of The Ancients!" Gaga's tears fell on the book's cover. _'I'm so sorry Lady Chihiro, Miss Airie, but...I failed you.'_

Gaga then realized that Largo was looking at the book. "PUT THAT DOWN YOU FOOL!" he screamed. "The Book Of The Ancients cannot be seen by for mortal eyes!" "Cannot been seen by mortal eyes?" Largo gasped. "This must clearly be a book to summon the dead from their eternal sleep!" Largo untied the knot in Gaga's net immediately. Once Gaga was out, Largo shook his paw. "Thank you fellow L337 one!" Largo applauded. "Your service will make this place a better planet. Now, I'm off to destroy the army of the undead from the inside out!"

"But you don't understand!" Gaga cried. "You can't read the Book! If a mortal man lays his eyes on its text, he will be driven into madness!"

Then Largo opened the book.

"You are some kind of an idiot, aren't you?" Gaga said. "Some kind, yes." Largo said in his confusement of 'genius' and 'idiot'. Before trying to argue with him, Gaga thought about it for a second. If Largo was driven to insanity, which in his case would be sanity, Lady Chihiro would be so happy, she'd love him even more!

"You know what!" Gaga said faking frustration. "FINE. You win. Just make sure your stupidity doesn't become contagious!" Then he ran away, leaving Largo by himself.

Bad move Gaga.

"Hmm...contagious stupidity...odd. Oh well, I'll look into it later. He gave me this book, so now I must focus." Largo proclaimed. He skimmed through the pages of the book. Yet nothing of interest or help caught his eyes.

"Evil Spirit descriptions and powers...no...destructive spells...no...'How To Destroy A Planet In Time For The Holidays'...no..." As he said 'no' he tore out the pages. He was about to tear out the next one, but this one got his attention.

"The Ortus Macula..?" Largo wondered. "Latin for life spell...seems the educational system isn't useless after all." Since the spell name was in Latin, everything else was too for some reason. Largo read and followed the instructions. Ignoring the old style of speech, such as 'thou' and 'thee', they read as follows:

1. Find an empty room.  
2. Draw a large circle, representing life, so that its takes up most of the room.  
3. Draw a star, representing fate, inside the circle  
4. Make two corners of the star round, making a heart to represent emotion.  
5. Bring one item of or concerning the deceased or non-existent person and place it in the circle.  
6. Recite the Chant Of Birth.(A/N: Recall the chant Gaga said in ch. 12)

Largo was able to complete the first 4 steps, miracously not setting something on fire in the process, but ran into two problems with the last steps: 1, He did not know the 'Chant of Birth', and 2, He had no items concerning Cameo. He brooded, but looked for something to help, as defeat was not in his dictionary.

* * *

"No one is sure when it all started." Water Tails began. "Yet the Twilight legend has been lost for nearly 3000 years, along with the race. In those times, half-lings, much like yourself Airie, were widely hated by all species. They secluded themselves in small villages that remained undetected by those who sought to destroy them." 

"The half-lings...no, the Twilight prayed for guidance out of the discrimination of their kind. They received a prophecy; two children, born of their own mixed blood, would save them. They would forever be known as the Angel Of The Twilight, and the Key Of The Twilight."

"So once, every 20 years or so if the last ones died, two children were born in the Twilight race. They would be easily identified as who they were meant to be in life, as the color of their skin would not be the same at they're parents. The elder child, usually a girl, is called the Angel. The younger child, usually a boy, is the Key."

"The leaders and priests would take care of the Angel as seen fit. This would always consist of a headband being put over the Angel's eyes, as they did not want the Angel's vision to be tainted. Their role would be to journey to Heaven, were they would send all future Twilights into salvation."

"The Key was not so smothered. They were not given any headband, but they were kept away from children during their childhood and grew up without friends, as the leaders and priests did not want their soul to be tainted and to help focus on the task given to them. The Key is to bond with the Elemental Spirits, like me, so the Gates Of Heaven could be opened to the Angel. But they must prove themselves worthy to the Spirits before bonding, which you have done Airie. The Key also has one distinctive feature about them, besides the color of their body. One lock of their hair is high-lighted a different color than the rest of it, such as black hair and a blue stripe. Your human hair color, I believe?"

* * *

K.O- This chapter was not as long as I meant it to be, and I kinda rushed through it at the end, but I said I'd get it done by Christmas, so DAMMIT I got it done by Christmas. Now its time for... 

**TEH CHRISTMAS CAST PARTY!  
(insert 'woot' here)**

**K.O.- I took the liberty of getting everyone presents. So without further ado, drum roll please! -drum rolls across floor- For Sonic...a roll of duct tape!  
Sonic- What am I gonna do with a roll of-MMMFFF! -is tied up with duct tape-**

**K.O.- For Amy...Sonic! -hands him over-  
Amy- -happy fan girl squeal-**

**K.O.- For Largo...that zombie tied up in duct tape!  
Largo- ZOMBIE!  
Sonic- MFFRAFP!(Crap!)**

**K.O.- For Tails and Lite...12 free rounds at Laser Quest, as in the 12 Days Of Christmas!  
Tails- Cool!  
Lite- Wait! Do we use real guns?  
K.O.- ...Uh...real guns...suuure.  
Lite- FLIPPIN' SWEET!**

**K.O.- For Gaga...a Largo VooDoo doll!  
Gaga- Oh, what a fun day this shall be!**

**K.O.- For Cream...ice cream!  
Cream- But the boxes are empty!  
K.O.- ...Lite. What did you do with Cream's ice cream?  
Lite- S-See...there's a funny story to all that...hey look! A distraction! -runs away-**

**K.O.- Hey! ...Ah, I'll get him later. For Airie...Shadow The Hedgehog for GameCube!  
Airie- Finally! ...Wait a minute. Where IS Shadow?**

**K.O- Well, he found his gift earlier. He got a lifetime supply of Jack Daniels!(its a kind of drink)  
Shadow- -heard from kitchen- Of course I'll marry you, your majesty! I'll be the best Queen Of The Woodpeckers ever!**

**K.O.- Hey, he's technically 65! Anyway, for Rouge...the Master Emerald!  
Rouge- -angry- That's impossible! How could you get it if I couldn't?**

**K.O.- That, you see, brings us to C.K.'s present! -hands C.K. a big box- Open it up C.K.!  
C.K.- -opens box and pulls up Knuckles tied up in a ribbon- -gasp- This is the best Christmas ever! Thank you so much! -hugs him-  
Knuckles- This is it. I'm going kill you.  
K.O.- I love you too, Knuckles.  
Rouge- Hmm...C.K., you wanna trade gifts?  
C.K.- What? I don't care who you think you are, you can't have him. Now how about some privacy here?  
K.O.- Ah C.K.! Don't you know the meaning of Christmas is sharing?  
C.K.- Hiiisssssssssss...**

**K.O.- And that, concludes this years Christmas Party! Happy Holidays to all!**


	17. The Fun Out Of Living

K.O. – -unconsious on the floor clutching a copy of Shadow The Hedgehog and an iPod shuffle and smiling creepily-

Knuckles- -shakes head- That's a shame.

Tails- I'm not sure what to call this: an iPodmnia, or a Shadoverdose.

Shadow- Its a combination. She didn't even get the chance to use either of 'em.

Sonic- Ok, can we just go out and bury her in the backyard or something? She's starting to creep me out.

**_Carolyn the Hegdehog_**- Surprisingly enough, I'm good at English. Shocking, I know, considering how many spelling errors I make.(or rather the document file thingy makes by putting two words together)

**_Chaotix Extremist_**- Tomo will fit in very well, as you know. And I don't I have an addiction for Knuckles...at least...I don't think I do...

Sonic- ITS NOT TRUE! SHE HAS A KNUCKLES FETISH!

K.O.- ...Sonic. Do we need to take another visit to the Magic Cave Of Sonadow Wonderment?(I'm a huge Sonadow fan so don't get the wrong idea)

Sonic- NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ANYTHING BUT THE ANAL BUTT LOVE! I'll be a good boy...

**_Raine Wolfwinter_**- Hmm...I must admit to you. It would have helped a bit more if Raine was actually a boy, but I can still make this work. By the way, do you think you can give me your email so I can send you the info?

**_Sariyu-Chan_**- First off, I'M SORRY! My eyes have been diverted towards schoolwork and community service hours for high school or whatever, and I haven't been able to check if anyone changed their names. And second, Largo wasn't always/isn't that dumb. Everyone else, at the moment, is just smarter, really. Later on you'll see why he's the way he is. Until then, enjoy his zombie hunting stupidity.

**_Shadowkiller27_**- You might have to hold off that game for a while. I have to hurt Lite for eating Cream's present, THEN have to deal with him whining that they can't use real guns. It could take a while.

**_Kyo's Wife Neko_**- Like I said, I knew it was too short. But you shouldn't complain. You know me personally! And you will always look over my shoulder when I write the next chappie!

**_emily-fire-element_**- Thanks, I try. And you know who Shadow said that to?

Shadow- DON'T YOU DARE SA-!

K.O.-CHEESE!

Shadow- ...I am NEVER going to live this down...

And, if **_Anthony Bault _**is reading this, can I talk to you about that idea you sent me a while ago? I'm pretty confused regarding it.

Anotherthing: I sent out a bunch of emails to people about their OCs, but no one except for **_Chaotix Extremist_**,_** ShadowKiller27**_, **_Carolyn The Hedgehog_**, and **_Twilight-Link_** have emailed me back about it. People, I need to know what's going on! Otherwise, most characters won't appear!

You guys are all aware what the genre is right? Romance/Action/Adventure? Well, all we've really seen is Action/Adventure. Could this be...-gasp- THE START OF ROMANCE? KEEP READING AND FIND OUT!

* * *

RECAP: "The Key was not so smothered. They were not given any headband, but they were kept away from children during their childhood and grew up without friends, as the leaders and priests did not want their soul to be tainted and to help focus on the task given to them. The Key is to bond with the Elemental Spirits, like me, so the Gates Of Heaven could be opened to the Angel. But they must prove themselves worthy to the Spirits before bonding, which you have done Airie. The Key also has one distinctive feature about them, besides the color of their body. One lock of their hair is high-lighted a different color than the rest of it, such as black hair and a blue stripe. Your human hair color, I believe?"

* * *

Gaga snuggled into the sheets of C.K.'s bed. (A/N: I bet you all thought I was gonna start with Airie, didn't cha?) After his ruff day, what with the vampire goats and Largo and junk, he was glad to be home. He was worried about C.K. though. She said she be home by the time he got back from the Demon World. He didn't go look for her though; he knew whatever she was doing was important to her and her friends and that he shouldn't intrude.

Actually while I'm telling you this, C.K at the moment is mentally swearing heavily at 4Kids for in the belief that they cut out what was to possibily to her one of the most important events in Sonic X history, but we'll get to that later. Now, Gaga.

He, by now, had nearly fallen asleep. He was finally going to get some well earned sleep. Unfortunately, he forgot Largo was still in the house. He was quickly reminded.

"You! Chao!" Largo yelled as he grabbed Gaga under his arm and out of C.K.'s room. "I am in need of your assistance!" Gaga gasped, then squirmed out of Largo's grasp. "What happened!" he asked.(A/N: Gaga thinks Largo turned sane after looking at the book) "I need to know the Chant Of Rebirth." Gaga cocked his eye. "Why would you need to know that?" "I need to know it so I can summon forth my presently non-existent comrade so we may defeat the zombie threat!"

Silence. Gaga fell to the floor crying.

"What's wrong?" Largo asked. Gaga tried pointing at him. "You...you...you idiot! You really have a way of making things worse for people, don't you!" Largo knelt down and picked Gaga up. The way he was, Largo would never be able to summon forth Cameo, unless he could get Gaga to stop crying and help him. But how would he get Gaga to help him? Largo felt that there was a distinct possibility that Gaga didn't like him.(A/N: Very good, Largo) There was something Largo knew though, and although he hated to do it, he had to.

"Gaga." He said firmly. "You want to protect my friend C.K., correct?" Gaga nodded, sniffing. "Well then, why not help me bring my companion to life? I can assure you, he will protect her when you can't. He will be a vigilant eye, watching over her. He will see her every move, not onebreath will she take without him knowing. I promise you this, in return for your assitaince."

Gaga lowered his head in thought. Sure, he WANTED C.K. to be safe when he wasn't there for her, and although this gave him a great opprotunity to fufill that desire, he didn't want to be like a stalker! If it wasn't for that, he'd agree.

"He won't be...all over her like a...a stalker...will he?" Gaga asked reluctantly. "Only if you so wish it." Largo said. "...Fine." "Good. Let's go."

* * *

Airie stood there in utter silence, unsure of what to think. She was...she was some kind of a _catalyst_? That's the way it sounded from how Water Tails said it. According to him, she was this 'Key', born to 'aid the Angel', or something. It was insane! And what was that race called? The Twilight? Airie remembered how her mother used to call her 'The Key Of The Twilight'. Had her mother somehow been in on this? Did her father know, too? If they did, why didn't they tell her before it was too late? So many thoughts ran through her head, she felt as though she could faint right on the spot.

"...C.K." she said after a long silence. "Please tell me...that 4Kids editied this thing out of the original Sonic X before it came to the States for whatever stupid reason that went through theirheads." C.K. looked at her boots. "I...I really wish I could, but...no, they didn't. This was never in the Japan show."

"Oh, I see. ...Lite?"  
"Y...yeah Airie?"  
"Could you hand me that pillow I was laying on before?"  
"Uh...sure..?" Lite handed her the pillow.

"Thanks." Airie said right before she burried her face into the pillow and screamed. She would always do this back home when something really shocking or bad happened to her. But this was different. This wasn't like 'I-flunked-the-math-test' or something like that back home. This was a real life-or-death situation. It was bad enough being stuck in a TV show, but knowing that she was some kind of a key (A/N: Pun not intended)used in freeing an entire race really added pressure she didn't need.

When she finished screaming to her heart's content, Airie set the pillow aside and walked out the door. Knuckles started to follow her, but C.K. grabbed his hand, shaking her head, telling him 'no'.

Water Tails sighed. He knew that something like this would happen if he did as Gabriel said and take the direct approach.

* * *

"In here, Gaga." Largo said, while he and Gaga entered the spare room that Largo had prepared earlier. Gaga was very impressed. Largo did everything in his power...without destroying something! He thought it would never had happened.

"Do you have the remembrance?" Gaga asked. "If you mean 'something belonging or related to the deceased or non-living one' its right here." Largo waved around two sheets of paper, which he handed to Gaga. On one of them was a purple chameleom with the headscales highlighted different shades of green. He was wearing all black; he had a black hoodie with the word 'NINJ4' scrawled on it, black cargo pants, and punk boots. Gaga saw this to be Cameo, as his name was beneath the picture.

The second one, however, was someone Largo had never mentioned. It was a pure white echidna girl, wearing a green sweater skirt, with what looked like large, lime-green circitry on it. On her head was a white bandana, which was mostly covered up by one piece, green shaded goggles. It melded perfectly into her hair, which had a caption next to it that said 'Julie-Su cut'. Her name wasn't there, if she had one at all. Gaga felt, although just for a moment, her piercing gray eyes bore into his own.

"Who's this?" Gaga asked. "I do not know." Largo replied. "I took the drawing of Cameo out of one of Airie's notebooks for the remembrance, I had no other choice. But I wanted to make sure that this would work, so I also took that one to try first."

Gaga was, once again, shocked. Life creation spells hardly ever work, and when they do, most usually backfire. Doing an expeirment firstwould ensure the outcome.

Largo took the echidna girl picture and placed into center of the spell marking. "Are you ready Gaga?" he asked. "I just hope this works..." Gaga replied. (A/N: The reason the chant is different than it was in the last chapter is because Gaga was aiming on bringing one person, C.K.. If he said it the normal way(the way shown), it would have brought out any random person)

_"Live Life, Thou Shalt Not Die!"  
"For Millions And Millions Of Years!"  
"Hail,Wandering Soul Of The Lost!"  
"Strong Are Thy Sails In The Wind..."  
"...As Thou Glidest Over The Rivers Of White Flame..."  
"...That Lead From Purgatory!" _

A blinding light burst from the under thepicture. Gaga and Largo shielded themselves from it. After a little bit, Largo felt the light die down. He squinted his eyes open just a little bit, and that was all he needed to see his success.

Lying where the picture once was, there was the same echidna girl. She was curled up in a ball, hugging her knees. Slowly her eyes opened, and she stood up from the ground and moved out of the circle. She put her hands in front of her, and bowed slighty to Largo and Gaga, never saying a word.

Largo smiled. "Perfect..." With that, he grabbed the picture of Cameo, and placed it in the center.

* * *

Airie had flown all the way back to the forest where she first met Sonic and Knuckles. She sat down by a lake she found, hugging her knees. All the events that had happened in the past few weeks...were they all planned to happen? Was this the only reason she was alive? Airie wished that it wasn't true, she wanted this to be a lie. She wanted someone's shoulder to lean and to cry on for the moment. She could always go toC.K. and Lite, whowould alwaystell her it would be alright, but she didn't want to hear those words from them. Not this time anyway.

Airie heard something crack behind her. She got up quickly,but as she reached for her chakrams on her belt, she realized that they were back at the studio. This was a sign of panic. Airie had no expierence in fighting hand-to-hand, only with weapons. Small bits of tears came to her eyes, and she whimpered a bit in fear.

Her surprise when a certain blue hedgehog came out from where the noise came.

Sonic was rubbing the back of his head, and looking at his shoes. He sighed, and said "Look Airie...it was a really stupid thing for me to do...reading your diary and all..." He shifted his feet, unsure of what to say. It was an uneasy thing to do for Sonic The Hedgehog to apologize. "And...if you want you can hit me or something, I'd...I'd probably deserve it" He clenched his hands at his sides."What I'm trying to say is...I'm...I'm sor..!" He looked at Airie directly, seeing her crying. "...ry?"

At that moment, Airie lost control of her body, and launched herself towards the unsuspecting hedgehog with enough force to knock him backwards. But Sonic reamained firm, while Airie cried heavily into his chest. As confused as he was by this, Sonic continued to let Airie cry on him. For a split second, he thought he felt his cheeks lighty burn from blushing, but he quickly shook the thought out of his head.

"Airie..." Sonic asked calmly. "Did...did something happen while I was gone?" He felt Airie nod in his chest fur. He placed a hand on her head, causing her to look up at him. Sonic smiled and wiped away some of her tears with a finger. "Just tell me, ok?" he said with a small chuckle.

Airie looked at him, stunned for a moment, but lowered her head. "Ok..." she whispered. "But can I finish crying first?" "Go ahead." "Thanks."And she told him everything.

_**"...The half-lings...no, the Twilight prayed for guidance out of the discrimination of their kind..."  
"...They received a prophecy; two children, born of their own mixed blood, would save them..."  
"...They would forever be known as the Angel Of The Twilight, and the Key Of The Twilight..."**_

When Airie had finished, it was dusk. She and Sonic were still at the lake, sitting by the water's edge and staring out at the sun's reflection.

"Water Tails really said all that?" Sonic asked. "He did. And with a straight face, no less." Airie said. "This is going all wrong. Its like I've lost my free will or something." Sonic cocked an eye. Aire sighed. "Have you ever felt like...like you have no control over your future? Like your whole life's been planned out for you? It...its just not fair, y'know..?"

For a moment, Sonic was in deep thought, but then he let out a large laugh. Airie looked at him like he was crazy. Sonic leaned back, the laugh turning into a loud chuckle. "That was a good laugh..." he said still chuckling. "Oh, sorry. Its just..." he burst out laughing. Airie glared at him. "Look, speak to me directly if you have something to say!"

Sonic sat straight again and put a hand up in defense. "I know, I know, I'm sorry. But, you have to understand, no one's life is set out for them. How else can a person live if they don't follow their own path? Could they still have their own style, learn fromtheir own mistakes, make their own friends, have their own will? No! Besides..."

Sonic grinned and gave his trademark thumbs-up and wink. "It takes the fun out of living!"

Airie was speechless for a second. Sonic did have his moments, but she would never have thought he would have been able to tell her what she needed to hear the most. She returned the smile and looked back out to the lake. "...Thanks Sonic." she said quietly. "I really needed this. I mean, I really, REALLY needed this." "Eh, no problem." Sonic said patting her on the back. "Its what I'm here for. And remember, whenever you need someone to lean on, just gimme a yell."

"I'll keep that in mind." Airie said, the laughter returning to her voice. Sonic was glad she was laughing again. From the way things had been these past few weeks, it was a pretty rare thing to happen. He felt...no. _He knew_ that she would be laughing everyday now.

"AIIIIIIIIRIIIIIIIIIIIIE!"

Sonic and Airie both turned their heads. Someone started calling for Airie behind them, and as the someone got nearer, Airie could tell it was Lite.

"Airie!" he yelled as he gasped for air. "You gotta come back NOW! Its Largo! He-!" Lite cut himself off when he saw Airie and Sonic sitting close to each other. His expression became very strict as he squinted his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Something happen that you wanna tell me about?"  
"Ugh, Lite..."  
"Airie, what's he talking about?"  
"Its nothing..."

Lite shook his head. "What am I saying, this isn't the time!" he yelled. "But Airie! Largo did something incredibably stupid!" "...And is this different from any other day _how_?" "You don't understand!" Lite cried. "This is completely different!" As he told Airie and Sonic what Largo did, Airie's eyes were wide, with either rage, shock, amazement, fear, or most likely a combination of the four.

"Largo did WHAT?"

* * *

Once returning to the mansion, Airie proceeded to beat the living crap out of Largo. Everyone was there, even Knuckles, who returned Airie's chakrams to her. According to him, when Chris and Cream got back and saw what Largo had done, they called back at the studio ASAP.

"I brought them to life." Largo said while Airie bopped him on the head. "We needed reinforcements! Cameo was the perfect choice."

"So why did you go and bring out Tekela!" Airie yelled pointing at the white echidna girl who was playing with Cream. "She was the expeirment." Largo said. I needed to be sure it was absoultely safe before proceeding with Cameo." He motioned over to Cameo, who was lurking in the most shadowed place he coud find. Airie threw her hands up in frusration.

"Gaga, why would you do this?" C.K. asked the weeping chao. "I...I didn't want too..." Gaga sniffed. "But...Largo tricked me...he's a lot more clever than we give him credit for..."C.K. looked at Largo and sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, you're right, Gaga. But don't let him take advantage of your powers like this again, OK?" "...OK. I'm really, really sorry..." C.K. picked him up and gave him a little hug. "Hush now, its alright..."

Sonic turned to Airie. "Airie, I've been wondering. Just who is Tekela? I knew who Cameo was, I mean, Largo wouldn't shut up about him when we got back, but I've never seen her before." Airie put her hands behind her head. "She was a character in a webcomic I was gonna put on my site when the plot developed. Me 'n C.K once came up with a kind of Code Lyoko and Fruits Basket crossover with you guys. She was supposed to be a kind of server to enter the digital void."(A/N: Me and my friends have done something like this, so don't steal the idea)

"So basically, she's a robot? Is that why she doesn't breathe?" Sonic asked. "Yep."Airie said. "I just don't know what we can do with her though. She can't fufill her only purpose here, and there's no other reason for her to be here." "Can't Gaga just undo whatever he did to bring her here?"Sonic asked. "Ah..." Airie started. Sonic had a point. She turned to Gaga, who was still in C.K.'s arms."Can you, Gaga?" Airie asked.

Gaga, who had stopped crying replied "No Miss Airie, I can't. When a life is made with the Ortus Macula, there's no way to undo it, unless the one summoned loses the will to live, gives up their lives for a noble cause, or simply dies of natural death. Its not in my power."

"That so? Oh, well." Airie shrugged. "I guess its like when we first got here. We just gotta get used to it." She looked around for a moment. "Hey, where's Knuckles and Water Tails?" Sonic pointed to out in the hall, where Knuckles and W.T. were talking. Airie saw W.T. hand Knuckles something, to which he nodded. Knuckles walked away over to Airie and the others, and W.T. closed his eyes in deep thought.

"He told me me to give these to you." Knuckles said handing Airie what W.T. gave him. In his gloved hand was a beautiful round sapphire, glowing with purity. Tied to it was a note. Airie heasitantly took it and read the note aloud:

_'Miss Airie-_

_'I apologize that you had to learn about your duty like this. It was never mine or the others' intention to harm you. We want to do exactly the opposite. I am aware that this comes as a great shock to you, as it did for most of the past Keys, but I am certain that you will do fine. Gabriel is working as hard as he can to find the Angel. We will inform you when she is found.'_

_'That stone in your hand is the symbol of our pact. Keep it with you at all times, for it contains a great and terrible power. If just a single fragment of it was to touch the ground, there is no telling what disaster would occur.'_

_'That stone will also inform you of when you are near its equal. When that day comes, you must follow it, to where the next pact shall be made. My comrades and I wish you luck on your journey.'_

_'-Water Tails'_

"So...wait. There's MORE of them!" Airie exclaimed. "That's what it says..." C.K. said looking over the letter. "But...who's Gabriel? And this 'we' he was talking about?" "I dunno, but I'm gonna find out! Water Tails!" Airie said stomping over to where he stood. "Just what the hell is going...!"

Water Tails was no where to be found.

"...on?" Airie finished. "Where'd he go!" "I don't know." Knuckles said. "He was standing right there when I talked to him. Airie slapped her face. "Ugh...I am WAAAY too exhausted to be dealing with this..." she moaned.

"Well, Airie." Sonic said. "What are you gonna do? This sounds pretty important. I don't think you could just back out of this." Airie kept her back turned to them for a long time while she thought. Sonic was right; she couldn't back out. She had to do this, no choice allowed, no questions asked. But nothing said she couldn't do it her own way.

"...Yeah, I think I am." she said with a serious grin. "Its like C.K. being the Gate Keeper, my fate can't be avoided. But I'll still be able to do it my own way. I don't know a whole lot about what's going on, yet I know I'll find out, and until then I'll still live my life the way I want. I won't just forget my duty, but I won't take it as my first priority in life until I know what it means. Besides..."

Airie turned and smiled with a new passion in her eyes. "If I go by the rules, it takes the fun out of living!"

* * *

It was a dark, cold, and lonely place where Water Tails and his companions resided. Before his arrival, the other nine awaited in the darkness, only seen by their shadowed forms. They remained silent, like in sleep, no light to awake them.

A blue aura appeared in front of them, Water Tails the source. His face was very serious, very unlike a 12-year-old boy, but he kept it as he bowed his head towards his comrades. Some of them gasped at the light, even more so at the marking on his cheek.

One of the figures came closer to examine the mark. "The Mark Of The Seal..." it said in a deep masculine voice. "The Key has returned, Water Tails?"

"Yes, Gabriel." W.T. replied. "It was a bit of a shock for her at first, but I am confident that she will do well."

"_'She'_?" came an awedfemale voice. "Wow! There hasn't been a female Key for, what? 1500 years?" "Calm yourself, Carolyn." the one called Gabriel said. "We must look at the situation at hand. Water Tails, did you give her the Sapphire?" "Yes, I did." W.T. said. "I gave the instructions on handling at. There isn't a doubt in my mind that she will fail."

"Let us hope so." said a small female voice that came from one of the three smallest firgures. "I pray that this time it will not end the same way, yes..." "Don't worry, TinkTink!" said a simliar voice from another small firgure. "We'll do whatever is nessecary to prevent that, right RingRing, yes?" "Of course BellBell!" said the last small figure. "That day won't repeat itself, I know it, yes!"

"In any event..." W.T. said. "It would be for the best to prepare for the next seal." "You are right." said Gabriel. "Shinwa!"

One of the figures, a slim female by the shadowed look, came forward. Gabriel handed her another round stone, like the Sapphire, only violet."Your stone...the Amethyst..." he said."You know what to do. Try not to scare her away, now." Shinwa nodded, but before leaving, she gestured her hand a bit.

"Ah, yes, you are right." Gabriel said somehow understanding her. "Water Tails, please do tell us the Key's name."

W.T. took a deep breath. "...Airie Keys. That is her name."

"She's named after the isle chain?" said a flirtatious male voice. "No wonder you think she'll succeed! She must be one lucky girl! Soo…do we get to see 'er or what?" W.T. sighed and waved his hand in front of them. In the dark abyss came a small circle, and it showed a close-up viewof Airie, laughing and joking with C.K. "That's her…" W.T. said pointing to Airie. "In our form, anyway..."The voicewhistled. ''Where can I get the full body picture?" "...I _hope_ you don't mean that the way I think you do, Alastor." Gabriel said in disgust. Alastor chuckled a little.

"Now Shinwa, go and prepare for the Key." Gabriel said. Shinwa bowed, and the shadowed form of her body faded in with the darkness around it.

W.T. stared at where Shinwa once stood for a moment. "...Gabriel." he said suddenly. "Do you think...that the Key will be able to handle Shinwa? She only found out about her duty today, and I have no doubts that the shock has not subsided."

Gabriel looked at Airie in the portal, laughing, and sighed. "We can only hope so, Water Tails."

_**We can only hope so...**

* * *

_

No, seriously, IS THIS WHERE THE ROMANCE STARTS! Oh, forget it, no one will answer me anyway. Anyway, you guys wanna see how Knuckles planned out what would happen next?

(I mean no offense to cosplay or anyone who does, but men dressed up as anime girls who wear very..._revealing_ outfits scares the crap outta me)

**Shirt Guy Knuckles- Episode 3: Cosplayer Zombie Hoard Bloodbath**

**-----  
_Little did we know that the jewel Water Tails gave to Airie would unleash unspeakable horrors..._**

**Knuckles- The water from the jewel must have exploded the ordnance in his pack on impact!  
Airie- Hey, isn't that the city's water supply cracking?**

_**So, we went over to grab Sonic(the Mystery Machine broke down so we couldn't drive)**_

**Knuckles- -dressed as Fred- Hey, what's that over by Sonic, gang?  
Airie- -dressed as Velma- Jinkies! It looks like hole in the fabric of space time!  
Lite- -dressed as Shaggy, note the fuzzy chin- Zoinks!**

_**We didn't quite know what was going on, but we knew we needed guns. Big guns. Lots of guns...**_

**Knuckles--wearing Matrix sunglasses-C.K., load up the 'Blow Things Up' program.  
C.K.- -looking at the gun assortment-Woah.**

_**We found Sonic pretty quickly...but we also found somethings that no man should ever see.**_

**Airie- Sonic! We gotta get you to a hospital!  
Sonic- -'carmelized'- I'll pull through, but look at that!  
Knuckles- Dear God, its...a grotesquely fat male Tokyo Mew Mew cosplayer!  
Cosplayer- (censored for your protection) BOOYAH!  
Knuckles- We can't let him near the Omiket!  
Sonic- There's a Sailor Bluto too...**

_**But it was easier said than done.**_

**Knuckles- Good God, the rift's spewing out hundreds of them! The stench...its overwhelming...**

_**We fought for what seemed like an eternity against a never-ending horde of morbidly obese, scantily clad cosplaying men. Such costumes as other men should never, ever have to see...**_

**Lite- Fix the bayonets!...Knuckles, here comes the Wedding Peach group!...I need more ammo!...I can't take the horror!  
Knuckles- Suck it up. -blam blam-  
Cosplayer- -doing the Mill dance while ablaze- COSPLAY IS LOV...!-urk-  
-----**

**Knuckles- -happliy sitting at his comp-**

**-inside chatroom-  
K.O> uh...knux?  
knux> k.o.?  
K.O.> what the hell was that?  
knux> my proposal for the next chapter. i improved your weak saucy story  
-K.O. goes back to look-  
K.O> aghhh! my eyes!  
-K.O. jabs a pencil into each eye repeatedly-  
knux> i see that you like it better than my last one. here, let me finish that love scene...  
K.O.> for the love of civilization, will someone PLEASE TAKE THAT COMPUTER AWAY FROM KNUX! AAAAAAGH!**


	18. Use It Well

**NOTE: THERE IS MUCH SWEARING IN THE OPENING WORDS. NOT BY ME, BUT STILL.**

K.O.- MY MIND HAS BEEN FOREVER SCARRED! But in a good way!

Sonic- Good way?

K.O.- One word, retard; YAOI!

Sonic- AAAAUGGGGGGGGH! IT BURNS! -runs into wall-

K.O.- -not caring- Also, I beat Sonic Adventure DX in one day, Ian is still alive (checkie the profilie), and now I have actual grammer skills! -does victory dance-

Shadow- And you've barely been working on this beacuse of that?

K.O.- ...I hate you.

**_Twilight-Link_**- I thought you might like that. But considering they don't know them yet, Airie and the others don't like it very much...

Airie- We'll go easy on you if you answer us these simple questions... Who the HELL is Gabriel! What did Water Tails mean by 'others'!

Lite- And why is someone in the kitchen with Dinah!

C.K.- Talk K.O.!

K.O.- -tied to a chair- NEVER!

Airie- -slaps K.O.-

By the way... -in Pig Latin- ...your ight-fay ene-scay with inwa-Shay is in this apter-chay.

**_Sariyu-chan_**- Thank you, but I need to make plans to take over the Illinois Board Of Education. -begins plotting-

**_Shadowkiller27_**- Sorry. In all honesty, I did think the Scooby part was the funniest. It wasn't going to be Airie who dressed as Velma though, but instead they might have actually had the real Velma. No one was sure if all the Velmas that came to audition were the real one, so we had to do that.

_**Chaotix Extremist**_- I know! SCREW 4KIDS! WHY SWITCH THE VOICE CAST, DAMMIT! But you still have to admit, for Tails and Amy, it was kind of an improvement. I mean, Amy didn't even sound like she was 12 (more like 16), and Tails' old voice is probably why some new Sonic fans mistook him for a girl. There's hardly any difference between Sonic's, Shadow's, Eggman's, and Espio's old and new voices, but it was a tragedy for poor Knuckles and Rouge!

Knuckles- -weeping- We lost our beautiful voices!

Rouge- -also weeping- And not even us, the greatest treasure hunters in the world can ever find them again!

K.O.- Poor, poor things...

_**Anthony Bault**_- Nah, I didn't forget. I was busy with schoolwork and such (which is why this one took so long), and I didn't have enough time to work on it daily. I actually had to finish it during my school's winter break, on Sunday night, till 1:30 AM! (You people owe me big)And thanks once again for clearing your idea up for me.

**_Sonic-Sillya_**- ...You DO realize I will need to know what kind of animal '?' is before I use him right?

**_Carolyn the Hedgehog_**- Well, she's not really in yet, but whatever makes you happy...

_**emily-fire-element**_- Isn't just so much fun to torture Shadow? It just makes you feel all fuzzy inside, don't it! I'm happy I finally got in some romance too, and though I fear for losing my male readers because of it, I understand completely why. But, my friend, _**kyofangirl668**_, wasn't too happy it was Sonic and not Knuckles...

-flashback-

_**K.FG.668**_- WHY THE FSCK ISN'T IT KNUCKLES THERE, DAMMIT! I'VE WAITED, LIKE, 17 CHAPTERS FOR THIS GROUND BREAKING ROMANTIC MOMENT, AND AIRIE WAS CRYING ON THAT BASTARD _**SONIC**_! WHAT THE HELL! ITS LIKE SOME BAD SOAP OPERA CRAP! I MEAN AIRIE AND _**SONIC**_, WORLD'S BIGGEST BITCH! **_TOGETHER_**! ITS A LOAD OF BULLSH!T! GOD DAMN THAT LITLE BLUE FSCKWIT!

K.O.- Must... not... kill...

-end of flashback-

Yes, those were her exact words, thank goodness we were outside in a non-populated area. _**K.FG.668**_ doesn't exactly understand the concept of a 'plot device', and she knows it. I might be able to make an exception for Ice, but I need to get a answer from another person about their character. She's a hedgehog, right?

K.O.- And THAT, my reviewing friends, brings me into the next topic of dicussion...

Sonic- What is this, a buisness meeting?

K.O.- Yes, now STFU.

At the end of Ch. 17, when Water Tails went 'home', the names I put down in the speech were the names of OCs that I know are in the story. Now, I thought I made it clear that I NEED TO KNOW IF YOUR OC IS IN OR NOT! You have to email me back on whether or not you're OK with the idea I sent you. The story might not get ANYWHERE OTHERWISE!

(This goes especially you, _**Saith-chan**_. If you're reading this, you have to email me back ASAP because the part with your OC is going to coming up after I write about Chaos and Tikal, which isn't too long from now. If you don't, then _**emily-fire-element**_'s OC gets the job)

In other non-K.O.-bitching news, I am pleased to announce that I will be holding the first ever 'Amazing Super Dee-Duper FunFunFun Write An SGK And Get Free Cookies Competition'.

...Ok, you don't REALLY get cookies but...

ANYWAY, I decided to do this because my friend **_Twilight-Link _**wanted to write some fight scenes for the story. Me, who sucks at writing fight scenes, eagerly accepted his gracious offer. -bows before the kindness of _**Twilight-Link**_- But, the thought came to my mind was, 'What about the other readers? This won't be fair to them! They're going to murder me in my sleep for this!', and thus the SGK contest was born. READ EVERYTHING!

_**RULES**_

**TO SUBMIT AN SGK, YOU MUST:  
**Have reviewed at least twice.

**IN THE SGK, YOU MUST:  
**1. Have Knuckles speaking throughout it. Its not called 'Shirt Guy Knuckles' for nothing y'know.  
2. Have at least 2-3 official characters in it, and that's including Knuckles.  
3. Make it funny. ...On second thought, hilairious is preferred, but funny will be accepted.  
4. Send it to me in an email when it is complete. Address all entries as 'Give Me The COOKIES!'.

**IN THE SGK, YOU CANNOT:**  
1. Lead into a fic you created.  
2. Write anything hentai-ish. Send me anything XXX rated and I will yell at you. However...  
3. Not so much as if you send me anything yaoi-ish or yuri-ish. The last thing I want to read about in an SGK is how Tails and Lite would engage in anal butt love.  
4. Write it in a review. That's just really defying the purpose of entering if you do so.

**IN THE SGK, YOU CAN:  
**1. Include yourself and any characters you created.  
2. Include 2-3 of the characters in the story (except those that do not belong to me, if you want to include them you gotta talk to their creators), as long as you don't abuse them.  
3. Make the characters in what ever form you want (if you can). How you choose to respresent them is up to you. Human, furry, chao, machine, Japanese Anime Ladyboy... Up to you. I welcome it all. (Ok, maybe not that last one...)

The due date... well, there really isn't one. You can only one SGK entry to me in the email BEFORE the chapter is up. (the chapter will include the fight scene by _**Twilight-Link**_). I will annouce the winning SGK and the 4 honorable mentions in that chapter. The winner will have their SGK appear at the chapter's end. There will be future SGK contests, so even if you don't win this time, you'll still have a chance the next.

Also, for anyone who can't read Pig Latin, one of _**Twilight-Link**_'s fight scenes will be shown in this chapter, meaning the first contest will be an exception, since it will have no scene by him. It will have a great emphasis on the way the storyline goes, I am sure of this.

**-Please note that though this chapter includes one of his scenes, it does NOT count as an SGK contest. I'm giving extra time for the first contest to see how well it goes, so send them in before Ch. 20-**

-talks really fast-OneEntryPerPerson.ManyWillEnter,OneWillWin.

GOODAY, GOODBYE, AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU SIRS/MADAMS!

(I also realize I haven't updated in awhile. Don't worry; I made up for it with all the words in this chapter)

* * *

RECAP: W.T. stared at where Shinwa once stood for a moment. "...Gabriel." he said suddenly. "Do you think...that the Key will be able to handle Shinwa? She only found out about her duty today, and I have no doubts that the shock has not subsided." 

Gabriel looked at Airie in the portal, laughing, and sighed. "We can only hope so, Water Tails."

_**We can only hope so...**_

* * *

"Aw crap! Knuckles, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for it to go that high!" 

Airie and Knuckles where at a clearing near that lake in the forest. Knuckles was teaching Airie how to fight with her hands, in case she ever lost her chakrams again. Once in a while, they'd practice with Airie's power over water, mainly for shielding before going offensive, but right now they were working on kicking. Airie was... surprisingly good at kicking, as Knuckles' muzzle soon discovered.

Airie knelt down next to the echidna, still holding his muzzle. "Its OK, its not even bleeding..." Knuckles said frombeneath his hand. "You really need to restrain yourself."

"I know, I know, but if its not that bad, why are you still holding it? You should only be applying pressure it its broken." Airie said.

"Well, in all honesty..." Knuckles said, hiding a smirk underneath his hand. "I'm a bit afriad of my status amoung the others dropping severely."

"What?"

"I just got hit, very painfully I might add, in the nose, by a girl. Don't tell me that you think Sonic wouldn't laugh."

"Oh c'mon, since when have you ever cared what they think?" Airie said. "Besides, you have C.K. and a wholenation of fangirls completely devoted to you back where I come from. And what does Sonic have? A nation of haters and torturers."(A/N: I mean no offense to anyone. I'm a member of both those groups. Beisdes, Airie said it, not me. BUT IF I OFFEND YOU I WILL KICK MYSELF!)

"Suprisingly, that doesn't help. Except for that 'Sonic torturers' thing..." Knuckles said his hand still on his face.

Airie got sick of him holding it. "What, Knuckles? Do you want me to kiss your muzzle and make it better or something?"she joked. Knuckles' face flushed, even though he knew it was a joke, and Airie could see it very clearly. He quickly regained his composuer, but his voice still had a small crack in it.

"Look, we aren't going to get in any training if we don't take this seriously!" he said.

Airie put her hands up in defense. "Hey, I'm not the one with weak hormones!"

"Right, whatever, but let's try this now!"

Knuckles ran up, grabbed Airie's arms, and held them behind her back with one hand. She tried to kick him from behind, but his other hand grabbed her ankle. She could feel his breath on her neck. There was no way she could get out of his grasp.

"Now..." he smirked. "How would you get out of a situation like this?"

Airie smirked as well. She had a little trick up her sleeve. "The way I see it, there's the fun way, and my way."

"Which are?"

"Well..." Airie said faking a giggle. "Considering the position we're both in, I could do it the fun way, meaning I'd kiss you and see where that would get me." Airie could feel Knuckles tense up after she explained. "But, as much fun as that would be to see you faint and get a nosebleed at the same time, I think I'll just do it my way."

She, who the whole time had been stalling while she summoned water to her, moved her hands apart. The water gathered between them grew, and before Knuckles could react, it grew to such a large extent it exploded, the force blowing Knuckles into the lake.

Airie clapped her hands in trimuph, glad to see the disastisfaction, as well as a little blushing, on Knuckles' face when he reamerged. He couldn't say anything to what she just did though, as a female voice called to them, yelling "LUNCH TIME!"

Airie knew that to be C.K.'s voice. Indeed, the witch echidna was flying towards them, Gaga on her shoulder, and a large pot of something steaming tied to her broom. The only thing different about her though was that she was now wearing an authentic witch hat, black with the top point going in a zigzag, around the red ribbon which served as arim, blue gems with gold stars engraved; courtesy of Gaga, who, still feeling guilty about listening to Largo, went straight to the Demon World and bought it for her.(A/N: Really courtesy of **_Twilight-Link_**)

From her bird's eye view, C.K. saw Knuckles in the lake. She flew over and picked him up, then flew back to the rocky shore to land.

Airie inspected what was in the pot, which looked like curry. "C.K., you didn't happen to cook this did you?"

"Why yes I did!" C.K. proclaimed proudly.

"Oh. In that case, I'm not hungry." Airie said.

"Oh c'mon Airie!" C.K. cried. "You've eaten my cooking before!"

"Before I knew it was a nuclear hazard!" Airie yelled. "Don't you remember what happened last time? Lite had to be quarintined in his room for two weeks!"

"That was only because I got the ingredients messed up, I had no idea he'd get _mononuclearosis_! But you can eat it this time! Gaga told me the recipe, and made sure I did it exactly correct!"

Airie who looked at Gaga, who nodded approvingly. "Well, Knuckles?" Airie asked. "You ready to die?"

"Not really." Knuckels snorted. "But this smells fine."

"Can you tell?" C.K. asked. "I added white wine to it!"

"...Fine." Airie grumbled. "You win. But I want a FULL explaination of mine and Knuckles' deaths at our funerals." She and Knuckles both took the bowls full of curry handed to them, and took bites at the same time. Then, they both dropped the bowls in synch, covered their mouths, and ran back to the lake, where they dunked their heads in the water to get rid of the foul taste.

"But I don't understand..." C.K. said before eating a bite herself. "The white wine should have..." Once she took a bite, she urked, but forced herself to swallow it. "Gaga, are we sure that was wine?" she asked when she regained the ability to speak.

"Uh-huh." Gaga said innocently. "It even says it on the bottle, see?" He held up the bottle for C.K. to see. "W-I-N-E, wine, but the 'w' is sort of worn off though..."

"Lemme... see that..." Airie gasped when she and Knuckles returned from their dunk. On the bottle's label, the 'w' was actually a 'v', and it looked like the label was folded in half. Airie folded over the other side, where that last three letters were G-A-R.

"C.K..." She said anger bottling up. "You put in VINEGAR!"

"What! That's impossi-" But on closer inspection of the bottle, C.K. realized Airie was right. "...Oh, shazbot..."

"Alright." Knuckles said. "I love eating dead, rabies-infected carion as much as the next echidna-" C.K. growled at him a bit. "-but I need something edible."

"I'm on it." Airie said. "I'll see if Amy and Tekela made any leftovers."

"None for me." Knuckles said. "Its a about time I left, anyway."

C.K. looked at her new diamond and onyx encrested Yin-Yang pocket watch (A/N: Which was another gift from Gaga (what is he, rich?)) "Oh, you're right..." she said with a little disapointment.

"Well, before you leave..." Airie said as she dug through her pocket. "You never asked for it back for the Lady Ninja fiasco, so I've been holdin' it for ya." She tossed to Knuckles the red Chaos Emerald.

"Wondered where this went..." Knuckles murmered to himself. He took the emerald and hid it neatly in his dreadlocks. Airie and C.K. stared.

"What? You didn't expect me to put it in my shoe or something, did you?"

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you." Airie said, who, before arriving in the Sonic X universe, had argued with C.K. over whether the boysused their quills as pockets, or had them in their shoes. "Anyway, let's head back, C.K."

"Nope!" C.K. said cheerily. "Knuckles promised to teach me to fight too!"

"...No I didn't."

"He said that it was for the best that I should, me being the Gate Keeper and all..."

"I never said that!"

"We better get going!" C.K. said, ignoring Knuckles' last comments. She grabbed him in a hug and dragged him away elsewhere, Gaga following behind.

"Airie, help me!" Knuckles gasped.

Airie smiled. "No, no. See, I like living." She flew up and over in the direction of the mansion, leaving Knuckles in C.K.'s grasp.

* * *

After beating the ever living hell out of Largo, Airie asked Amy and Ella to teach Tekela how to cook and help with the chores and such. They were both happy to do so; they needed an extra hand. Cameo, completely loyal to Largo as that was how he was made, was his 'apprentice'. And we all know that no good could ever come from that. 

As Airie landed, she saw Largo lugging a large robot made out of cardboard boxes with missles attached, and a small TV as a head. "Largo... what are you doing?"

"I'm deploying the last of the PH34R-Bots." Largo answered. "The darkness is coming."

"Largo..."

"I don't know if I can stop it. The 3vil ones are gathering the forces of darkness about them as we speak. They will strike a blow so final that Station Square will be unable to rebuild. A great darkness will fall, and there will be no escape. This all goes down next Tuesday. It's a bad situation, dude. Me and Cameo have managed to locate all the respawn points in a two-mile radius. PH34R-Bots are strategically placed so that if anything spawns in this zone, it will be taken out. Respawn points seem to all be linked by dark, evil smelling tunnels. The network is very extensive."(A/N: You might want to remember this for later on)

Airie stared at him for a moment. "You're bot-camping the sewer system. ...Thaaat's just perfect."

Largo pointed to the sky. "Dude, I wouldn't stand there unless you want to get chunk3d."

Airie could see a shadow getting larger where she stood. When it got to its largest, Airie swung her fist above her only to have it caught, and also to have caught another fist herself.

"Young lady have good reflexes." Cameo complimented.

"Thank you, Cameo." Airie said, letting go of the chameleon's fist. "Your English is coming along quite nicely. I'm just glad that Largo hasn't forced you to speak L337 yet."

"L337 Master does not want to teach Cameo L337 till Cameo masters English." Cameo replied.

"_'L337 Master'_?" Airie said. "Cameo, you do know that your 'L337 Master' is a total nutjob."

"Perhaps young lady is correct. But the road to enlightment can make enlighted ones complex and misunderstood."

The two of them were so busy talking that they forgot that Largo, the walking landmime, was standing right next to them, struggling with his PH34R-Bot, which fell on top of him. "Off me PH34R-Bot! I am not a minion of t3h darkness!" he screamed.

"L337 MASTER!"

Cameo leapt into action as he tried lifting the heavy PH34R-Bot. It would have been easier, had Largo not been struggling. Airie cocked an eyebrow, then slowly walked away into the mansion. She quietly passed through the doors and into the kitchen, where Tekela was helping Ella clean the dishes.

"Hey guys, do we still have anything to eat?" she asked.

Ella jumped from Airie's voice and dropped the plate she was holding. Immeaditely, Tekela's hand and fingers extended and grabbed the dish around the edges before it crashed. She recoiled her hand, grabbed the dish while recoiling her fingers, and began to scrub off whatever was on it.

_'Do I make up awesome people or what?'_ Airie thought. "Nice catch Tekie."

"CU CURIE OU." Tekela replied.(A/N: Tekela can't talk English yet, for those who haven't read my profile. That's all she can say for now. And to make it easier, I make her speak in CAPs) She turned around and bowed, saying 'thank you', then returned to her task.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that!" Ella said in her Spanglish accent. "You just startled me there!"

"Don't worry 'bout it." Airie said. "It would be something to worry about if you were-" She cut herself off and sniffed the air. It reeked of burnt food. "...C.K. tried to force feed you guysher cooking didn't she?"

Ella grew uncomfortable. "Y-Yes, well, erm... it had an... _unforgetable_ taste..."

Airie put up a hand. "Its OK, Ella. I think her cooking sucks, too. I'm just glad she and Amy didn't have a beat down over who should cook."

"Amy wasn't here. She's out with Sonic right now."

"Really?" Airie asked. She racked her memory of what this 'episode' was supposed to be. Sonic didn't let Amy within two feet of him, of his own will mind you, on a regular basis. Once she came to the conclusion that her memory was crappy today and she couldn't remember, she heard a yell:

"_SON-IC!_"

"...Amy's home." Airie said bluntly.

Airie and Ella walked outside, where Chris,Cream, and Lite already were. They were standing a good distance from a very angered Amy, yelling at Sonic, who was on the roof and picking at his ear.

Airie slowly edged over to her brother. "Lite...!" she whispered. "My brain's being stupid and I don't know what's going on right now. You remember?"

Lite paused for a moment, wondering how his sister's brain could be stupid without her being dumb, but whispered back, "I'm not all that sure, but I think its where Sonic won't stop running."

Airie scratched her head. "You sure? Amy _always_ gets pissed at Sonic for some reason or another..."

Suddenly, Sonic yelped in pain, and his eyes became bloodshot for a split second. Then he jumped down from the roof and ran off away from the mansion.

Everyone stared and remained silent. Airie looked after the dust cloud he left. "...Of course, there's always that."

Right when the dust cloud subsided, their was a deafining 'screech'. Sonic had stopped turned around and was coming back in their direction.

Or, more precisely, Airie's direction.

Sonic not only had no control over his legs, but also no control of his arms. He automatically picked Airie up once he got close enough. Her reaction to this was the usual kicking, followed by jabbing Sonic in the face with her elbow while screaming in his ear, 'PUT ME DOWN NOW YOU RETARD!'

Lite immeadiatly tried running after him, as Sonic wasn't running very fast. When he got closed enough, Lite lunged at him, but Sonic had pulled away and ran at his normal, non-18 mph speed.

Lite laid face down on the pavement of the driveway. When he finally pulled himself up, he turned around with a bright, happy smile, and asked, "Sonic just kidnaped my sister, didn't he?"

Unsure of how to respond due to Lite's smile, Amy nodded uneasliy.

Lite kept smiling. "OK, that's what I thought."

His smile turned delieriously evil as he pulled out his laser.

* * *

While running downtown Station Square, it seemed Airie had no choice but to let herself be kidnaped, while Sonic had no choice but to run. Airie told him that during his last fight with Eggman (A/N: That's where he and Amy were before), he implanted a chip in Sonic's ear, causing him to run. Why Eggman had him kidnap her, she had no idea. 

That left them both confused. If Eggman did want Airie for something, they had to get her away from Sonic. Right now, that's what they were trying to figure out.

"Hmm... maybe if you turned around and bit my hand..." Sonic suggested.

"That would only result in a grope, which neither of us wants." Airie said, jabbing him in the face again. "Besides, even if it did work, you can't stop running,and at the speed you're going, if you let me go I'd never survive it!"

Sonic groaned. "Well, what are we gonna..." He trailed off when a red sports car drove beside them "...do?"

Airie cocked an eyebrow. Someone was trying to keep up with them. _'Who would do something so stu... oh no, not him!'_

"Hey there!" said Chris' uncle Sam. "Going beneath the speed limit, eh?"

Airie smacked her forehead. "And there's Sam."

Sam then saw Airie in Sonic's arms. "Oh, AND you're handling a load! I might just have to write you up!"

Airie's eye twitched; she hated Sam with a burning passion. She turned her head to him as best she could and said, "I'm sorry, but don't you have to be writing up a turtle for going beneath the speed limit right about now?"

Sam looked at her in a mixture of shock that someone, let alone a girl, actually insulted him, and anger from the insult. Airie felt proud of herself, but also she couldn't stand being within 5 feet of Sam any longer. "Sonic, would you please get away from Sam?"

"I don't know if I can..."

"Sonic, if you could stop running and let me down I would be on me knees BEGGING you right now. Please!"

"But..."

Airie sighed. "Let me put it this way..." She took out a pocketknife from her left pocket(A/N: That was originally ANOTHER present from Gaga to C.K.(He just smothers her with giftsdoesn't he?), and held it to his head. "Get away from him NOW or say 'buh-bye' to all your quills."

Sonic, not wanting to lose his silly amount of hair, pulled away from Sam. Right before they went out of sight, Airie called, "Might wanna avoid that street lamp, Sam!" And they were gone.

Sam was left in confusion about the street lamp comment, until-

_**CRASH!**_

"MY CAR!"

Airie snickered evily to herself.

* * *

-Next Day- 

"Please?"

"No."

"PLEASE?"

"No!

"_PUH-LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE?_"

"For the last time, NO!"

For anyone who hasn't gotten what I think is completely obvious, we have just returned to our favorite echidna duo, C.K. and Knuckles. You see, after leaving Airie, Knuckles escaped from C.K.'s clutches and ran away as far as he could, which didn't do much good as C.K. faster than he was on her broom.

Luckily for Knuckles, C.K. accidentally flew into a tree, giving him some time to gain distance away from her. But, since this task was too important to C.K. for her to fail, she recovered quickly, and after telling Gaga to take her broom and other belongingsback home, climbed up the tree and lept, glomping Knuckles. He was still able to escape as her grip had not tightened yet, but before he could get away completely,C.K. grasped his leg.

Now a day later, the poor Guardian had to walk all the way back to the mansion for Airie's help, with a crazy fan-girl on his leg. C.K. said she would only let go if he promised to let her follow him wherever he went, resulting in her becoming his faithful sidekick or girlfreind, whichever came first. Knuckles, not wanting either (A/N: At the moment, anyway... :3), refused, and here we are.

Knuckles had dragged C.K. all the way back to the lake where she first captured him. C.K. had been begging him for about 20 minutes to stay with her, and, given Knuckles' patience span equal to the IQ of a pickle, was making himquite pissed.

"Would you GIVE IT A REST!" he screamed. "I can't feel my leg anymore! You have to get off me NOW!"

"No!" C.K. cried, while trying to shift her legs around his foot. "I can't do it!"

"I don't care if you don't want to! JUST DO IT!"

C.K.checked her boots for a moment, and then looked up to him. "No, I _really_ can't do it!"

Knuckles gave her a confused and angry expression. "Since I'm kinda sitting on your foot, the zippers on my boots got stuck together." she explained. "And...since I can't fix them without sticking my head up your... y'know... I'm stuck."

Knuckles buried his face in one of his hands. "Great. Just perfect. Now what do we do?" C.K. didn't answer him; she was looking in in the sky. "What is it?"

C.K. pointed to two small, blue dots in the distance underneath a large pink dot. "Now, I could be wrong, but isn't that Sonic and Airie attached to a giant bubble?"

Knuckles looked up as well. After a moment, the pink dot seemed to explode, and the two smaller ones dropped down over the lake. They were too far away from them, otherwise they would have heard Sonic scream about the water.

Airie knew that Sonic couldn't run underwater, and she couldn't swim him back to shore. Then, an idea popped into her head, a crazy one, but an idea at that.She closed her eyes and concentrated, ignoring Sonic's screams. She tried to picture the water moving away and making a path for them.

So the Key wished it, so it was.

The water where they landed parted, not so much that a religious issue would be stomped (A/N: Don't worry, I'm Christian), but just enough for Sonic to be able to run across. As he sped across making water rise into the air, Airie thought she felt a small 'thump' at her side. She shook it off; the only thing at her side was the Sapphire that Water Tails gave her, safe in her pocket.

Knuckles and C.K. just stayed where they were, waiting for Sonic to stop. Instead, he past by them, the force knocking C.K. off Knuckles' leg and blowing a fish into Knuckles' arms. While C.K. wailed and cursed loudly at Sonicthat her boots were ruined since the zippers were ripped off, Knuckles looked toward the dust cloud that was once Sonic and Airie.

"...OK, I'll give." he said tossing the fish back in the lake. "What just happened?"

C.K. took off her now broken boots and walked over barefoot. "Sonic's brain has been implanted with some chip that's messing with his nervous system, causing him to run. It also must have taken control of his arms, since Airie was with him and all." Knuckles gave her a look of surprise. "What?"

"I thought you were... well... a ditz." he said.

"Hey! Just because I may be clumsy sometimes doesn't mean I'm stu-" C.K. fell face first on the ground. a moment later she stuck her finger up and said, "Don't you say a word."

* * *

Airie looked back as best she could past Sonic's head. "Now, I could be wrong, but wasn't that just Knuckles with C.K. stuck to his leg?" 

"Yeah." Sonic said. "And I think I knocked C.K. off. She's gonna kill me isn't she?"

"Probably."

Just then, Airie remembered something. Something important. Her memory wasn't as crappy today as she thought it was! She dug into her right pocket and took out her cellphone. After dialing a number, she said "Sonic! In about half an hour, run back to where we just were."

"OK... why would I want to do that, now?"

"Don't ask stupid questions, you'll live longer." Airie held the phone to her pointy ear and waited for C.K. to pick-up. Instead, a small, squeaky voice answered, **"Hello?"**

Airie remained silent. "..._Gaga_? Is that... _you_?"

**"Yes! Hello to you too, Miss Airie!"** he said happily. **"May I help you with something?"**

"How did you get C.K.'s cell? How did you know how to work it? ...Wait. How are you even _holding_ it?"

**"Lady Chihiro asked me to take her broomstick and other belongings back home, she taught me how to use it in an emergency, and I'm holding it up next to a jar of peanut butter."**

"What are you doing with a jar of peanut bu... On second thought, nevermind, its better I don't know. Is everyone else still there?"

**"Yes, but they're leaving soon. Something about Sonic kidnapping you." **On Gaga's end of the phoneline, there was a crashing sound, an angry scream, and someone yelling 'OH NO! NOT THE GOOD CHINA!'. **"Your brother seems very upset."**

"As if that's not a surprise. Anyway, tell them to go find Knuckles and C.K. Once you do that, go find C.K. and tell her and Knuckles to stay where they are and wait. Can you make sure everyone gets there in about half an hour?"

**"OK, but may I ask why?"**

"Trust me, you'll see... Oh! One more thing. Make sure Lite helps Tails and Chuck build the giant hamster wheel."

**"Yes ma'am!"** Gaga hung up.

Airie shoved her cell back in her pocket, while Sonic looked at her in confusion.

"...'Giant hamster wheel?'"

"What did I say about asking stupid questions? What did I say?"

-30 Minutes Later-

Knuckles and C.K. stood atop a cliff, waiting for the signal to push the giant hamster wheel down. They stared out at the open space, looking out for the dust cloud that would be Sonic and Airie.

Down below, Amy and Ella were cooking some food while Cream helped Tails set up his machines. Lite, still angry from what Sonic did even though it was against his own will, was on the verge of both having an anger-induced coma and frothing at the mouth. Thankfully, Tekela had come along and restrained him with her retractable arms before he shot anyone.

Knuckles and C.K. got their signal, as a large dust cloud formed in the distance. Knuckles then shook out his arms for a moment, then pushed it toward the edge. C.K. walked up and kicked it off the egde. Since she was still barefoot, it hurt like crazy, but she held in the scream of pain and only shed one tear, before falling to the ground with her leg still up from kicking.

Whenthe wheel met up with Sonic and Airie, Sonic jumped inside it. Once inside, the spokes of the wheel retracted outwards so the wheel would stay in place. They were trapped inside, but in the good sense.

Once inside and secure, Tekela used one her hands to put a tray of food in front of Sonic so he could eat. This, unfortunatly, weakened her grip on Lite. He escaped and, grabbing his gun, played the all new game he just made up, 'Target Practice With Sonic'. Sonic had to duck so many times that by the time when Lite was restrained again, Airie had eaten all his food.

An hour later and still running, Sonic fell asleep. Lite had cooled down, and was exacting his revenge by using C.K.'s broom, flying up to him, taking a marker and doodling all over his face, Airie joining in later. Soon, Sonic's face had an eyepatch, a spectacle, 3 tic-tac-toe games, a few 'your mom' jokes, and also that one phrase that claims 'I'M IN LOVE WITH A STRIPPER' drawn all over it.

Knuckles and C.K. howled with laughter.

-Another Hour Later-

"OK, I'm bored now." C.K. said, twirling her hat in her hands. Ella had repaired her boots and was no longer barefoot.

Sonic had woken up by then and after seeing his face, wasn't the happiest hedgehog in the world. Airie had to wipe it off him since he couldn't move his hands.

"Hey, watch it!" he yelped as she tried rubbing off the ink.

Airie growled. "Do you still want this crap out of your fur, or do you still want to the back of your head to say 'MY NAME IS SONIC AND I SMELL OF WEE'?" Sonic complained no more.

"Tails..." Airie moaned. "How much longer till you get Sonic to stop running? I can't feel my legs anymore..."

"I don't know." Tails replied. "It'll take a awhile for me to find the chip while Sonic's running, and even when I do find it, I can't get it out if he can't stay still!"

"So... you're saying we're screwed, then?"

"I guess you could put it that way..."

"Thought so." Airie looked over and saw that Sonic's eyes had gotten a little big. "What's with you?"

Sonic faced her. "Is it just me, or did the wheel just shake?"

They both immeadiately looked at the spokes. One side was coming loose.

"...Oh yeah. We are SO screwed." Airie said.

The spokes gave out, and the wheel spun out of control. Everyone dogded out of its way, except for Knuckles who couldn't get out of the way in time and got run over. Instead of the wheel spinning past them straight, it curved inword and burrowed a hole in the ground.

Everyone just stayed where they were for a moment, somepossibly wondering if it was worth it to look over the edge. Suddenly, the ground shook with such a force, and the hole caused by the hamster wheel exploded with water. On top of the new fountain was Sonic, freed from the wheel, and Airie, freed from Sonic.

Airie felt another 'thump' at her side, only it was much stronger and faster than before. Blocking out Sonic's feet, that were kicking water up since he couldn't stop running, she dug into her right pocket and pulled out the Sapphire. It was resignating witha blue aura.

"Its... _pulsating_..." Airie quietly gasped.

Her realiazation didn't last too long. The water just receeded back into the hole, leaving Sonic and Airie stranded in the sky. They stayed up like that for a moment, then dropped down like deadweight. Sonic starting running in the air, defying all physics as we know it, and once he reached the ground he just ran out of sight.

Airie, however, wasn't so lucky. Her wings had stayed tucked in for so long that she'd need to stretch them out before flying, and since she couldn't really do that given her current position, she just fell down. Unfortunately, Knuckles had just gotten up from being run over, only to be knocked down by Airie AGAIN. (A/N: Running gags. Gotta love 'em)

"Why is it ME you always land on?" he asked.

"'Cause you're the only thing that's big, red, squishy, and soft-headed enough to land on around for miles." Airie answered getting up.

* * *

-Sundown- 

"Its weird..." Airie said. "That stone Water Tails gave me a few days ago was pulsing... and then the water shot up..."

"Airie, you taking this way too seriously." Amy said. "Right now just eat. You haven't eaten anything but Sonic's lunch in a day."

"Yeah. Where'd he go anyway?"

"I'm not sure." Chuck said. (A/N: Yeah, Chuck and Tananka and Chriswere there too) "But I just called Sam. He'll find out where Son-"

"You called _SAM_!" Airie yelled.

"You _FOOL_! You've screwed us all to hell!" C.K. screamed.

"No! No more, Mommy! I'll be good! I promise!" Lite cried.

"...I guess you guysdon't like my uncle?" Chris said.

"'Don't like' is putting it mildly..."C.K. groaned. "Chuck, I just want you to know that I hate you SO FREAKING MUCH right now."

"...Oh well." Airie sighed."Hopefully that street lamp he crashed into should slow him down..."

Chuck went back to whatever he was helping Tails with, Chris joining. Ella and C.K. were helping Knuckles with his injuries, Amy was forcing Airie to eat some more, and Cream was poking Lite who had curled up in afurry ball of fear at the sound of 'Sam'.

Amy walked over to whack Lite out of his fear-induced coma, leaving Airie in peace for the moment. She played around with the Sapphire in her hands, and held it up to the fading sunlight. It had been acting very strange, like Water Tails was trying to talk to her through it.Airie did want to talk to him; he had slippedaway too many times by now without giving proper explainations and it was making her really mad.Then, the Sapphire did something that freaked her out.

_**"Key Of The Twilight!"**_

It spoke. In Water Tails' voice.

The stone nearly slipped out of Airie's hands while she squealed in surprise. She clampsed it between her hands before it touched the ground (A/N: Remember, Water Tails said that was bad) and lightly panted for breath. Everyone else stared at her sudden outburst.

"Didn't you hear that!" Airie yelled. "It was Water Tails! He just talked through the stone thingy!"

"I didn't hear anything..." C.K. said while applying some medicine to the back of Knuckles' head.

Airie shook her head. "I don't understand. Lite, did you..." Lite was recovering from the whack Amy gave him and seemed spaced out, saying something about 'wanting to ride the pony'. "...Nevermind."

Water Tails spoke again, only a bit softer. _**"Miss Airie! Can you hear me now?"**_

Airie held the stone a little higher to her face. "Wait... What'd you say?"

Upon seeing this, Knuckles did the only thing he saw fit. "Cough, crazy, cough." Airie threw her plate at his head, which hit him straight in the face. "Ow."

Airie gave him a glare, and held the stone to her ear. "I'm sorry, Water Tails. What'd you say?"

**_"Can you hear me now?"_**

"Yes perfectly."

**_"Good. Now listen carefully to what I tell you..."_**

Now, to evryong else, it seemed like Airie was havingsome imaginary discussion with some imaginary person. She looked downright ridiculous talking into the stone. All she ever said from the instructions Water Tails gave to her was 'Yeah.', 'Uh-huh.', and '...the crap?'. Soon, Water Tails 'hung up', and Airie put the stone away.

She turned to them and said, "OK, apparently me and three other people have to go down that hole to meet the Spirit Of Lightning. Sooo... anyone wanna come down the Hole Of Probable Death?" she asked meekly.

After some agruing and more plate throwing, it was decided that Lite, C.K., and Knuckles would acompany Airie down. Gaga had to come too; it was his duty to C.K. to protect her as a Steward.

One by one, they dropped down; Airie, followed by Lite and then by C.K. and Gaga. However, when Knuckles tried to jump down, some sort of barrier held him back. He was actually able to walk across it, making it look like he was standing on air. It took a few moments to realize it, but he came to the conclusion quickly.

"The _CHAO_ counted as a person!"

* * *

The four people, demon Chao included, walked down the hole that the wheel had made. It looked that the wheel had continued moving even when Sonic and Airie got out. It had turned sideways, making a tunnel. As they walked, they saw parts of the wheel that most likely came off from the massive friction. C.K. occupied herself by echoing silly phrases in the depths of the cave-like tunnel. 

"UNNNNDERWEAAAAR! SMELLY SOCKS! JELLY BELLY!"

"C.K., SHUT UP!"

"Killjoys!"

They had walked for what seemed like an eternity. As they did, they noticed that the dirtwalls around them turned into some kind of purplestone, engraved with all sorts of odd symbols none of them had seen before. Airie had found them starngely familiar though, but she didn't say anything.

The end of the tunnel was not what they had expected. It was basically a circular room, still withthe purple walls and such. In the center, however there was a set of stairs that led towhat appeared to be a large, thickpole.

"Where are we?" asked Airie.

Gaga tapped his Chao paws together for a few moments, than said, "If I read the map I looked at before I came here correctly... we should be by one of Station Square's lighting rods."

Airiesquinted her eyes off in all directions. "Doesn't look like there's that much to this place... maybe Water Tails was wrong..."

"Wait a minute!" Lite pointed to something moving beneath the pole. "What's that!"

Whatever Lite sawwas moving. Before it had been sitting down, perhaps meditating, or simply contemplenting the arivial of its guests. It stood up, revealing a body form no taller than they. (A/N: _**Twilight-Link**_'s fight scene begines... NOW!)

The figure stood silently, its hooded cloak concealing its features from view, but Airie could easily see the quiver of arrows strapped to its waist.

Lite leaned over to C.K. and whispered, "Looks pretty freaky doesn't it?"

"Yeah…" C.K. replied, adjusting her hat slightly.

Airie stepped forward, and knelt down, bowing her head. She had no idea what she was doing, as Water Tails had failed to tell her what to do when she met the next Spirit. (A/N: Way to be, Water Tails, way to be) "Um…Okay, I have come requesting you're… uh… assistance...?" she said, nervously. The figure's face, hidden in shadows, looked down upon Airie. Airie looked up.

"…What?" Lite cocked an eyebrow.

"Did it… say something?" C.K. asked.

Gaga nodded, and said, "It's a kind of telepathy, hold on, I'll try to translate, she's speaking in ancient language." The Knux Chao finished, scratching his head.

"How do ya know it's a she?" C.K. asked, "That cloak hides its build pretty well." she added, eyeing the cloaked figure suspiciously.

"She told me, Lady Chihiro." Gaga replied, "okay, she said: 'A Twilight, I have not seen one in such a long time… yet, even though you have traveled many a mile to find me, I do no longer desire a pact." The figure looked at Gaga, and nodded silently.

Wh… what!" Airie cried, Gaga continued, his face scrunched up in concentration.

"You are most likely not strong enough, I have no further need for an audience with you, leave my sight." The figure proceeded to turn around when she was stopped by Airie's voice.

"NO! We need your help!" she shouted, drawing her chakrams.

"Airie! Stop!" C.K. cried."Don't be stupid, we don't know how powerful she is!" It was too late, the figure turned around, and held her hand out in front of her, palm facing Airie and Co., and suddenly, lightning began dancing down the length of the figure's arm, and when it came in contact with her hand, she squeezed it into a fist.

All of a sudden, Airie and Co. were flung backward into the cave wall, Lite C.K. and Gaga hit the wall with a sickening 'thud!' and collapsed on the cold cave floor, unconscious. Airie also hit the wall, but landed on her feet, which caused pain to lance throughout her entire figure, her knees buckled and she collapsed onto one knee.

She heard footsteps, and summoning what strength she had left, she looked up. She saw the figure's face for the first time; it was the face of a bat. Apparently, the force of the blast had blown her hood back off of her head, revealing her features. Her fur was a deep black, like the night sky at midnight, and Airie could make out the neck of a green shirt, possibly a dress.

The bat descended the steps leading down from the altar and started walking toward her; she was going to finish what she started. "Please…" Airie groaned, as the bat approached her. The cold look in the bat's gaze did not change. Airie hung her head, and shut her eyes; all that she could do know was hope for a miracle.

And, lady luck was on her side, because a miracle came. Although Miss Keys wasn't aware of it at first, she felt something light, and fluffy, yet slightly damp caress her face, she opened her eyes and looked up to see Water Tails standing in front of her blocking the bat's path.

"W…Water…Tails…? She stammered. Water Tails clapped his hand together, and held them out in front of him, water dripping from ceiling began to come to him, and it rested in his hands, and then it began to shape itself into his Double-Bladed Sword. He grasped the handle of his Double-Bladed Sword, and rested the sword on his shoulder, he was protecting the Key.

"Shinwa!" Water Tails called to the bat, "That is enough! You know what will happen if the Key dies!" The bat blinked at him, and began to gesture with her hands, as though she was explaining something. Water Tails grimaced.

"What?" He asked, "This isn't the way to test one's strength!" The bat continued to gesture. "'A true warrior is always prepared to fight'…!" Water Tails said, "Most of the time that is the case, but not when they have no idea what they're up against! And don't you dare say that they knew what they were up against when fighting you!" He turned to Airie, "Miss Airie, can you stand?"

"I-I…think so…" She replied, climbing painfully to her feet. She leaned on Water Tails for a moment then, then stood on her own two feet.

"Are you prepared, Key of the Twilight?" He asked, his voice brimming with a seriousness that she had never heard before.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She replied, the duo looked at Shinwa. She held out her right hand, and out of nowhere, a bolt of lighting materialized in her hand, and began to meld itself into the shape of a bow, then another bolt of lighting struck and created the string. She closed her hand around the bow and, and drew and arrow from her quiver.

She knocked it to her bow and pulled the bowstring taut. Suddenly, lightning began to dance up and down the length of the arrow, and the arrow tip glowed with electrical power, the cloak that Shinwa wore began to billow from the power that the arrow emitted. Airie gulped.

_'This is gonna be one hell of a battle...' _she mused. W.T. suddenly bolted towards Shinwa, who turned and let the arrow fly. When the arrow was released, the back draft caused her cloak to billow more wildly behind her. In mid-air the arrow shape shifted into a bolt of lighting and flew at Water Tails. W.T. vaulted to the side to avoid the lightning arrow, Airie snapped out of her musings and darted towards Shinwa, as did Water Tails, Shinwa couldn't shoot at both them at the same time.

Boy, she couldn't have been more wrong. Shinwa drew two arrows out of her quiver and knocked them to her bow. Lightning immediately danced up and down the arrows, and then Shinwa did something amazing. She turned, shot at Airie, then the exact same second she had released the first arrow, the second was already flying at Water Tails.

Water Tails avoided the arrow with ease, Airie wasn't as lucky. Though she had managed to escape being pierced by the electric projectile, it had grazed her shoulder, and the arrow's energy surged throughout her body. It could only be described in one word: pain. Excruciating pain lanced throughout her entire form, her knees almost buckled, but she managed to keep standing.

"Miss Airie! You alright?" Water Tails asked, while avoiding three arrows from Shinwa's bow, he was distracting the Spirit of Lightning, so that Airie could recover.

"I'm alright! I can still fight!" She replied, gingerly taking a step forward, only to be rewarded as pain shot through her entire form again. She leaned against a cave wall, and rested, trying to regain her strength, the arrow seemed to have robbed of most of the energy in her body. Suddenly she heard a scream of pain, and looked to see that Water Tails had slammed his Double-Bladed Sword into Shinwa's side.

Shinwa glared at him, Water Tails glared right back. Then he felt something prick his stomach, he looked down to see a lightning arrow pressed against his abdomen. He looked up at Shinwa who said this, telepathically:

_'Goodbye, comrade.'_ And she let the arrow fly.

Water Tails was thrown backward, into the wall, and screamed in agony as electricity coursed throughout his watery form. Shinwa, slowly walked towards the Spirit of Water, and gradually drew an arrow from her quiver, she stood before W.T. and knocked the arrow to the bowstring.

W.T. started climbing to his feet, trying to dislodge the arrow from his abdomen. Shinwa blinked and that caused the arrow in W.T.'s stomach to send another bolt of electricity through him, knocking him back to the ground. W.T. lay there, panting as Shinwa took aim, and then he noticed something that made his heart leap with joy.

Airie had grabbed his fallen sword, and was slowly sneaking up on Shinwa. Airie raised Water Tails' sword and struck. But Shinwa was faster, she turned on her heel and used her bow to block the almost certainly fatal blow. Then Shinwa noticed something that made her blood run cold: Airie was using one hand to handle the sword. "Hasta la vista, batty!" She shouted, as she swung one of her chakrams into Shinwa's stomach.

The reaction was immediate. Shinwa stumbled backward and clutched at her side, and Airie advanced upon her. "Airie! Go for the wound I made!" Water Tails shouted. Airie nodded and swung W.T.'s Double-Bladed Sword into the wound he had made.

Suddenly, Water Tails shouted an incantation and his sword transformed into water once more and the water, seeming to have a mind of its own, coiled itself around Shinwa's arms and legs and pinned her to a cave wall. She struggled fiercely to get free of the watery bonds, but to no avail.

"Airie, shoot her with her bow! It's the only way!" Water Tails shouted, he pulled the arrow out of his gut and tossed it towards Airie, she caught it and picked up the bow. Airie didn't really know how to shoot a bow, but how hard could it be, eh?

Hard, apparently.

Airie knocked the arrow to the bow, and pulled it taut, and was rewarded with a lightning arrow. But, since she was not the Spirit of Lightning, the arrow had an adverse effect, basically pain. She gritted her teeth and did her best to ignore the agonizing pain that was coursing through her. She smiled as best she could and muttered, "Arrow, fly true." And she loosed the shaft.

And that arrow did fly true. It imbedded itself into the center of Shinwa's chest. She screamed in agony as the electricity from the arrow combined with electricity that she had power over, the two opposite energies canceled each other out and robbed her of her power.

Water Tails repeated the incantation and the coils of water released the exhausted Spirit, the water that had coiled around Shinwa's wrists and ankles entered Water Tails body and repaired the scar that he had in his abdomen. The Spirit of Lighting stood up and looked at Airie, who just stared back.

_'You have proven yourself worthy of my power,'_ Airie heard her say, '_you have my bow and the speed of a lightning strike, use it well, Key of the Twilight.'_

_

* * *

_Over... 9600... words... can't... move from... chair... read the... SGK... -falls over- ...oh cookie... 

(ATTENTION: Those who are fans of DragonBall Z should not read the following SGK, as I bash it. A lot. I'm sorry, but I hate DBZ. At first I thought it was cool, but it didn't last for too long.)

**Shirt Guy Knuckles: Episode 4- DragonBall Z(ero)**

**Knuckles- Today, for the soul sake of parody, we present the plot of DragonBall Z, as told by the AOTT crew. First, our heroes are informed about their enemy.**

**Big- -portraying King Kai- Hark! I do predict a stupidly powerful villian approaches. You must all train for 15 episodes to combat this threat.  
Sonic- -portraying Goku- GASP!  
Lite- -portraying Piccolo- GASP!  
Airie- -portraying Vegeta- GASP!**

**Knuckles- Next, the bald villian shows up.**

**Shadow- -portraying Cell- Rargh, I am Perfect Cell, here to destroy you because I am so very jealous of your vast amounts of hair.  
C.K.- -portraying Bulma- GASP!  
Tails- -portraying Kurlin- GASP!  
Amy- -portraying Chi-Chi- GOKU GET YER ASS OUT HERE BEFORE I MURDER YOU!**

**Knuckles- Then Goku, who grows silly amounts of hair, destroys the villian but not until after all the bald people die.**

**Shadow- -underneath Sonic's foot- I am vanquished.  
Sonic- -wearing a long, yellow colored wig (because we didn't want to go over the special effects budget if he went Super)- I rule.**

**Knuckles- And finally... YOU REPEAT THE PLOT FOR INFINITY!**


	19. Risk It All

**-Before you read the chapter I have a question: is _anybody at all_ interested in the SGK Contest? If anybody is, did you read the rules? Did anybody read the opening words to find it? If anybody did, did they even bother to look at the information and rules? I just wanna know if I'm wasting my time, going to my mail box, waiting for ONE FREAKING email to say 'Give Me The COOKIES!'. I for one was looking forward to what ideas you had for SGKs. **

**And, its really hurting poor Knuckles. He wouldn't leave the SGK set, he was so depressed. We had to drag him out like an old drunkard at a bar, and he is _not _light. And he's still so sad that we have a guest to handle the SGK today. Can we please help Knuckles... -big puppy dog eyes- ...pwease?**

**Also, since no one emailed me back about their OC (except for _chaogirl_, thanks again and don't worry about not knowing it was me) I'm just going to go out on a limb and assume that all of you will be OK with how your OC will appear. If not... well... I'll just go ahead and get your daggers ready to throw.**

**By the way, this chapter has no Airie, Lite, C.K. or anybody. It focuses mainly on the Spirits. Don't hurt me just yet; let me explain. I'm having a major writer's block (due to focusing on my upcoming graduation), and couldn't think of anything for them. I also wanted to put up a chapter in my birthday at least once, so you guys are just gonna need to deal for this one. **

**Consider it a present from me to you on my b-day, thanking you for actually taking the time to read my fic. Without out you guys, I'm nothing.**

**Now, when you finish reading the chapter, go out and by me a present. **

**...What?**

**I'm just kidding! Geeze, somepeople can't take a joke...**

**Thanks, love ya peeps-**

**-The A.O.T.T Management**

**...We have a management? WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN!**

**The Management- Oh no! She's onto us! RUN!**

**

* * *

**

-For some reason or another, Riku from Kingdom Hearts walks in, hands behind his back.-

Riku- -clears throat- I'm sure you all are wondering why I'm here. Sonic, shall we say, persuaded me to give this speech that he was oringinally supposed to...

-flashback-  
Sonic- Ok Riku. 5000 Munny, just like I promised. Now go and give that speech! Heheheh... Like he'll _really_ get a chance to spend it... Heheheh... Sucker...  
-end flashback-

Riku- That was most likely because of his extreme cowardice towards a 13 to 14-year-old fanfiction authoress who can make him cry for his mom in 10 seconds flat.

Sonic- Traitor!

Riku- But you see, the number 14 is why I'm here. For 14 years ago, on this very day of June the 2, and in the year of 1992, a beautiful baby girl was born into a loving family of a mother, a father, a great-uncle war veteran, and an older sister (later to be expanded by a younger sister and two cats). This baby girl would no doubt bring joy and happiness to everyone she met, and would later on in her blissfull life become great leader in our world, bringing us to a great age of peace and prosperity. ...And, of course, three delivery rooms down from there, K.O. was born.

K.O.- -shoots down Riku- Ahh, I feel A LOT better now!

Airie- Y'know, if you listen really carefully, you can hear a thousand Riku-fangirls scream...

K.O.- Don't care. He deserved it. And now that that's out of the way, LET'S CHECK THE POLLS!

Sonic- For what?

K.O.-THIS FIC'S MAIN COUPLE PAIRING!

C.K.- OOH! I LOVE doing this this!

K.O.- Airie, if you'd do the honors!

Airie- Gladly! I wanna see what people _OTHER_ than C.K. think about my love life!

C.K.- Hehe... wait, shouldn't we wait for my Knuxie?

K.O.- First off, he's not your Knuxie. If the story goes how I want it, he'll be Airie's. -KnuxAirie fans squeal in delight- And second, he's still sad because people aren't sending SGKs for the contest. But don't worry, I'll tell him the results later.

Airie- OK, let's see here -checks the hat-

Knuckles- 4 vote(s)  
Sonic- 1 vote(s)

Sonic- **_ONE!_** -KnuxAirie fans continue to squeal-

K.O.- HA! KNUCKLES WINS!This **_NEARLY_** makes up for **_NO ONE_** submitting SGKs!

Airie- Wait, there's about ten more votes here for... _Shadow_?

Sonic- But he's not even an option!

C.K.- Why are all the votes for Shadow written in the same hand-writing?

Airie- That's Shadow's hand-writing!

Shadow- Umm... I plead not guilty?

Sonic, C.K., and Airie- DIE! -lunges at him-

Shadow- -girly scream-

K.O.- And THERE YOU HAVE IT! Riku's dead (YAY!) and Knuckles is winning against Sonic by an outstanding (but not very surprising, given that its Knuckles vs. Sonic, and I, the authoress, is a Knuckles-person) _4 to 1_ count, and Shadow is a very sad, sad little hedgehog! Now that that's over, I have to go rig the ballots so Knuckles wins the whole thing while you guys read the reviews! Also, don't forget to submit those SGK's! _**SUBMIT OR DIE!**_ -runs away-

_**Sariyu-chan**_- Glad you thought the chapter was funny. The plotting's going fine, thanks for asking. And don't forget the SGK contest so you can submit some of t3h funn13n3ss.

**_Shadowkiller27_**- My point exactly! How in the hell did DBZ catch on! Its a conspiracy, I tell y... wait a minute... **_HALF RIGHTS TO WATER TAILS! AS IN ONE OF TWO PIECES OF THE WHOLE! AIIIIIIIE! I CAN'T EXCEPT THAT! I'D SCREW HIM UP ENTIRELY AND_**- -smacked- ...thank you whoever did that, I needed it. Seriously though, you don't need to give me half rights to him, I might screw up his entire person. But, if you really want to, alright.

Also, I wouldn't worry about the self-insertion for your new fic. I'd have done it too! ...Of course,I would have taken Shadow's gun and shot him by the time he met me... Oh I'm just kidding! I wouldn't kill Shadow like that! Oh no... it'd be a lot worse!

_**Chaotix Extremist-**_YAY FOR BARK! I hardly even know the guy and he's cool. Also, remember that story I was writing for you? It might take longer than expected, just so you know.

**_Twilight-Link_**- Hehe, yep! Not too much longer now till Alastor and Gabe come in, and then all hell breaks loose! ...No seriously, you know what I mean by that. It is very unfortunate that Knuckles keeps getting squashed under something, but its a running gag (much like my friend who is afriad of my little doodle of Bill, the evil Pac-Man from hell, and the guy in my class that took my mechancial pencil, drew a face on the eraser, and claimed it was his son). Its just something that'll always make you laugh. Take as much time as you need on the 'items', but I will need the one with B-you-know-who in T-you-know-what kinda soon. And as a thank you, there is a special guest writing the SGK that I know you'll be happy for... but you might wanna hurt me for what happens to him...

**_Carolyn the Hedgehog_**- Like I said, **_Twilight-Link_** wrote the fight scene for me. I just filled in all that other non-important romantic/comedic crap. Oh, and you just WAIT till you see what happens to Carolyn! You'll laugh! You'll cry! Then you'll laugh! Some more! But really, you'll feel like crying, because- -smacked again-

_**Garra's Pyro RACCOON**_**_- _**Good to see me and **_kyofangirl668 _**aren't the only ones who favor that one pairing above the other. And, are you looking into the future of this fic? The quotation marks around that oneword were kinda suspicious... >: ) (If you get where I'm going with this don't say anything please!)

**_Dark Star_**- Heh, sorry 'bout the cliffhanger, but as I typed that chapter and this review, one of my cats is trying to push me out of the chair I'm sitting in and- -low growling noise can be heard in the background- Oh, excuse me... -grabs lion-tamer attire- _BACK DEMON KITTY BACK!_

_**Sonica-Foxie-Darki**_- OK, my bad. I should've gotten that, damn my small brain! I did send you some info about him, so lemme know when you pick a name.

* * *

RECAP: 

Water Tails repeated the incantation and the coils of water released the exhausted Spirit, the water that had coiled around Shinwa's wrists and ankles entered Water Tails body and repaired the scar that he had in his abdomen. The Spirit of Lighting stood up and looked at Airie, who just stared back.

_'You have proven yourself worthy of my power,'_ Airie heard her say, '_you have my bow and the speed of a lightning strike, use it well, Key of the Twilight.'_

* * *

Darkness. A fog of darkness surrounded them; the Spirits. The eight of them, still bound to this hellish place, waited for the return of Shinwa and Water Tails. Although the two had been gone for so long, the remaining Spirits knew that they would return, not like they had any choice. Even though they could leave when summoned, they were trapped in this place. Perhaps their anxiety was caused by jealousy? 

One of them, Gabriel, if you recall, was the most anxious for their arival. As the leader, it _was_ kind of his job. He merely sat there, eyes closed and arms crossed across his chest. His ears twitched as he heard the 'swoosh' like sound that came in a few minutes, as well as Alastor's groan of , "It's about frikkin' time...".

Gabriel sighed and stood up, as his comrades echoing footsteps became louder. When they stopped, he turned to them and said, "You know, Shinwa, using your power to that extent wasn't really nesscary."

Shinwa only shrugged and gestured her hands a bit. Water Tails gave her a look as she picked at her own marking on her cheek like his. "Don't you say that." he said. "You didn't want to fight her like you didn't want to shoot me in the gut. Speaking of which..." He turned to one of the surrounding shadows. "Foxie, you mind? It didn't completely heal." he asked pointing a finger to the small hole in his abdomen.

"Huh, wha?" said the shadow's female voice. "Oh right! Sorry." She floated over and pressed a hand against his abdomen. A small, but radiant light came from her fingertips, and the tinyhole closed all by itself. "You're lucky my element's the healing one." she said.

"And the only one that really works here." Alastor mumbled. "Now, can everybody just shaddup? I wanna sleep..."

Another of the shadows, another girl by the looks, came over and whacked Alastor upside his head. "OW! What was that for, Crimson!"

"Because we can't just stay here and sleep!" the shadow, semminly known as Crimson, yelled. "And, it's not all about you, y'know!"

"Well, why not, Ice Queen?" Alastor said, throwing his hands up in the air. "We've only been sleeping for the past 3000 years!"

"Don't you call me that!" Crimson quietly screamed. "You know that Ice isn't my element!"

"It may as well be!" Alastor yelled back. "At least then you and Carolyn would get the elements you deserve!"

Another one of the shadows from the sideline, Carolyn if you remember, said, "Hey, leave me out of this."

"Sorry, Carrie." Alastor said. "Just trying to preach the truth."

Crimson glared at him. "And just what would you know about truth, huh!"

Alastor was truly angry now. "You had better not be saying what I think you're saying." (A/N: Yay for foreshadowing!)

"And if I am?"

"Then, I'd have to kill you."

Crimson huffed. "Can an immortal being really be killed?"

In a flash, Alastor whipped out a knife and held it to her neck. "There's always a possibilty..."

"Alastor! Crimson! That's enough out of you two!" Gabriel ordered. Both of them opened their mouths to try and blame the other.

"But he-!"

"She started it!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

Crimson crossed her arms trimphantly. "OK Alastor, you're right; I didn't start it, whatever you say!"

"You right I'm right about it!" Alastor said, putting his knife away. "I... wait a minute! Damn it, woman!"

Shinwa gave them both stern looks, although neither of them could see it under her hood. _"Enough!" _They froze mid-fight, both fingerspointing at one another, mouths open and ready to yell. _"All of that was in the past. What's done is done, and pointless fighting won't change it."_

"Shinwa is right." Gabriel said. "We need to focus on the dilema at hand and try and figure out who will be next to awaken."

"I wouldn't waste your breath." Water Tails said sitting down. "None of us know who's next. Its impossible to determine."

'That may just be, Water Tails, that may just be." Carolyn said. "But we can't just sit here and do nothing!"

"Why not?" Alastor joked, laying back on his arms. "I did practically nothing for my entire life."

Carolyn pressed her foot on his stomach. "Oh, shut up, you." You wouldn't be able to tell what Alastor said next, but it sounded something like , "Ouch... fwuu mudda fugga..." (A/N: Sorry _**Twilight-Link**_!)

"Serves you right, Allie." Foxie giggled, while Carolyn removed her foot. "But hey! Here's an idea; Since Shinwa and Water Tails can get out already, why don't we let BellBell and her sisters go with them? Maybe that'll make them the next to be awakened!" She pointed to the last three shadows, the smallest ones, who seemed to be sleeping.

Everyone stared.

"That's... actually a pretty good idea." Water Tails said in shock. "And it makes sense. Not like your other plans, Foxie."

"Hey! The one with the mutant pengiun army and the Sweedish breakdancing team was a good idea!"

"Suuure it was, Foxie." Crimson said. "Anyway, you're plan is a good one, but just one thing; how are BellBell and the others gonna get out of here? They haven't been awakened yet!"

"Um... Crimson, yes?"

"BellBell! You're all awake?"

The shadow BellBell nodded. "It was hard to sleep with all the yelling, yes."

"Oh... ...How much of that did you hear?

"Enough. And if we could make a suggestion, yes..."

"Go right ahead, BellBell." Gabriel said.

BellBell nodded again. "Thank you. Now, TinkTink, tell the others your plan, yes..."

The shadow TinkTink timidly walked up. "Well... everyone knows that my sisters and I are of an immortalrace that can freely travel from the spiritual plain to the land of mortals, yes?" Everyone nodded. "You see... there is a chance that, if we enter a place where Lighting, Water, and our element are all together at the same time, we might be able to stay there, yes!"

Once again, there was staring and silence, which this time Crimson broke with, "I swear, these kids are geniuses!"

"But..." Carolyn started. "How would you three stay there? You'd need to come back, right?"

TinkTink was about to answer, but she was cut off by the final shadow. "We'd only need to come back once a day, to tell you what's going on in the Key's world. Water Tails and Shinwa wouldn't be able to come for us, but we can get back and forth on our own after we do it once."

"I dunno if that's such a good idea, RingRing." Alastor said. "If you do get out, you might not be able to come back, and if you don't... well..."

"Well what?" Water Tails asked.

"...They might be trapped in time." Alastor said. "They wouldn't live, but they wouldn't die either. They'd just stop exsisting, caught in the rift of time, and that goes for you and Shinwa, too."

Water Tails' ears drooped a bit at hearing this, and everyone remained silent. What were they to do they the five of them weren't able to return? It would surely be their demise and the Key would be leftdefenseless.

_'It's too risky!'_ Gabriel thought. _'I can't endanger my comrades for this-'_

_"I'll go."_ Shinwa 'said'.

Everyone turned toward her. Gabriel was stunned. "But... but Shinwa-!"

_"Protect or be protected, fight or be fought. Kill... or be killed... so I was once told. I would gladly risk it all."_

Water Tails nodded. "Me too. Besides, we've all already seen death. We know what it's like. Disapearing wouldn't be any different, I mean, nobody even knows we exsisted in the first place."

Alastor faced Gabriel. "Well, Great Leader, it's your call. Do we let 'em go, or do we just lie around all day and sleep?"

Gabriel was now faced with a truly difficult descicion. It would be extremely hard to put them through that kind of danger. They were... they were his family now, he couldn't let them cease to exist. The thought of losing them, like everything and everyone else they all lost, truly frightened him. But he had to be strong, he had to be strong for his freinds. For his family.

"How long until the next thunder storm?" he said finally.

Water Tails closed his eyes in thought. "...In... about 3 hours."

"And how long will this take?"

_"It should not take us anymore than thirty minutes."_

Gabriel sighed, and then gave his approval.

* * *

The rain fell hard. 

The thunder clashed in the sky.

The wind was strong.

In the forest of Station Square, Shinwa and Water Tails said goodbye to BellBell and her sisters, who disguised themselves as some animals so they could not be seen by the Key, or anyone else for that matter.

"Shinwa..." Water Tails said as their comrades flew away. "Do... Do you think they'll be alright?"

Shinwa lowered her head. _"...I don't know, Water Tails. I... I sense something ominus approaching..."_

"Me too... You think it has something to do with... _him_?"

Shinwa looked to the sky. _"No, I don't think this is his doing. But... upon our next leave we should warn the Key to be prepared. If he** is** involved, she could be in great danger."_

"Danger? In danger of what?"

Shinwa turned to him. _"In danger of the past. I fear... I fear that BellBell and her sisters are the next to be awakened, and that... they will need to show the Key why she is what she is... they carry the events of the past upon their breath, you know... it is the very nature of their element, after all..."_

Water Tails silently gasped, then turned his face to the ground. "But that... it might kill her if she sees that... what happened to them... and to _her_..." (A/N: Yay for even more foreshadowing!)

Shinwa put a hand on his shoulder. _"I know, my friend, I know."_

* * *

Back at the mansion (A/N: Hee hee, I lied!), Airie was playing a game with Lite, when her eyes opened wide and her head perked up, as though she had come to some realization. 

"What's wrong, sis?" Lite asked cocking his head.

Airie didn't move. "There's that sense of impending doom again..."

* * *

Because absoultley NO ONE wanted to do one, we bring you the first Guest SGK, written by LoZ's Link! 

**READ AND THEN SUBMIT! IF LINK CAN DO IT SO CAN YOU DAMMIT! YEAH! THAT'S RIGHT! I'M LOOKIN' AT _YOU_!**

**-I'm not trying to nag, but I really wanted to do this, and I can't if none of you submit-**

**-GUEST Shirt Guy Knuckles 1-  
The Return Of Ganondorf**

**-Written By And Featuring Link**

**Link- Hello my friends, I am Link. That's right! Link. The Hero Of Time, the wielder Of The Master Sword, The Keeper Of The Triforce Of Courage. Anyway... A few years back I helped lock Ganon, the Great King Of Evil, into the Sacred Realm. Oh, it was a fierce battle!**

**-cuts to the Hyrule Castle, where Ganondorf it being surrounded by happy little forest animals-**

**_But just recently Ganondorf returned to Hyrule! He claimed he was a changed man, that he had seen the light and put his dark past behind him._**

**Link- Yeah right! So I set off to spy on the theif.**

**-cuts to the lost woods, where Ganondorf is sitting on a stump, playing the Lost Woods' theme music for two dancing Skull Kids, and Link behind the stump with binoculars-**

**_At first I didn't see anything too evil. He didn't go around maiming people or anything._**

**_...The song was catchy though!_**

**_Doo doo DOOO! Doo doo DOOO! Doo do do do DOO do do doo do DOO! _**

**Link- I knew he wouldn't do anything dastardly out in the open, so I snuck into his room at night using my awesome ninja skills.**

**-the flashback cuts to Link, dressed in black and on the ceiling, looking over a sleeping Ganondorf and his squeaky blue pig toy Ganny-**

**Ganondorf- -talking in sleep- No... No... Not the Master Sword... Curse you Link... Curse you... Zelda... No... NO... AHHHH! -wakes up- Oh... It was only a dream... Oh it makes me so angry... It makes me want to...**

**Link- -thinking- Yes?**

**Ganondorf- It makes me want to...!**

**Link- -thinking- Yeeeessss?**

**Ganondorf- Volunteer at the soup kitchen! COME GANNY! -Ganny squeaks- ****There's hungry mouths to feed! -Link falls on Ganondorf- What! Who is that! ...Oh Link! I'm glad you're here! -Link performs various ninja poses-I have something for you... Heh heh heh heh...**

**Link- -thinking- This is it! C'mon GanonDORK... bring it on! -blocks self-**

**Ganondorf- Now where is it...? I FOUND IT! I've been waiting a long time for this moment... -hold up a crudely drawn card with him and Link on it saying 'I'm sorry I made you sad!'- Can you ever forgive me?**

**Link- I... guess...**

**Ganondorf- Yes... That's wondrful... Now I must be off. Make yourself at home. Oh... AND HELP YOURSELF TO ANYTHING IN THE FRIDGE! -evil laughter-**

**-return from flashback-**

**Link- Well, I figured that Ganondorf didn't try to kill me there because he knew I would totally kick his butt.**

**RE-ENACTMENT  
-An old-fashioned Link sprite wandered on and stabbed an old-fashioned giant ogre sqrite, instantly killing it. As the Linksprite held up a Triforce piece, an old-fashiond Zelda sprite came in and proclaimed "Make love to me Link!"-  
END OF RE-ENACTMENT**

**Link- I remembered he was invited to Princess Zelda's slumber party! I knew he was up to something! Something... EVIL!**

**-cuts to Zelda's room, where Ganondorf is lying on her bed and the other girls are playing truth or dare-**

**Malon- So Zelda, tell the truth! Do _YOU_ have a crush on Link?**

**Zelda- I'm NOT telling you.**

**Saria- C'mon, tell us!**

**Malon- Spill the beans, girl!**

**Zelda- -blushing- Yes... -Malon&Saria giggle- What? You _all_ do!**

**Malon- -dreamily- Oh yeah...**

**Saria- Right! ...So what about you Ganondorf! Any seeeeeeeecreeeeeet crushes?**

**Ganondorf- Me and Nabooru used to be an item, but she turned tratious. I imprisoned her in a statue! Now she is nothing to me!**

**_Oh, here we go! Pent up rage!_**

**Ganondorf- Ahh... whenever I think about it I just... I-I just... -cries and sobs-**

**_Ok... First the crying, THEN the rage!_**

**Ganondorf- Oh whenever I'm upset I eat! -viciously munches on chocolate-**

**_GET WITH THE RAGE ALREADY!_**

**Ganondorf- I... I'm sorry. I lost control... Say... I have an idea that's to _DIE FOR_!**

**_It's the rage! I know it is!_**

**Ganondorf- LET'S DO THE CHICKEN DANCE!**

**_DANCE TIME!  
I don't wanna be a chicken, I don't wanna be a duck, so I shake my butt! -clapclapclapclap- I don't wanna be a chicken, I don't wanna be a duck, so I shake my butt! -clapclapclapclap-_**

**Link- -awkward silence- ...And there you have it! Undeniable proof that Ganondorf will one day come and smite us all! Smite us I say! SMITE US GOOD! **

**-the crazy, spinny, windmill music starts to play- **

**Link- They... they just can't see it... Are they blind! Blind as a Keese if you ask me! Ohhh... They'll see it... I'll MAKE them see it! They'll call me crazy! But I'm not crazy! I'm the only one that's NOT crazy! -is slapped by Navi- Thanks Navi... I lost control... C'mon let's go fishing! **

**-as Navi flies away, Link pulls out his sword and shield-**

**_You're next... BAIT! _**

**_Hahahahahahaha... _**

**_HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! _**

**_MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_**

**...END OF GUEST SGK 1...**


	20. The Chapter KO Really Slacked Off On

**-****I apologize for my bitchy-ness about that SGK. I've decided to get rid of the due date, so I'll annouce the winners when I get 4-5 submissions, not matter how long that may take. ****Thank you.**

**I know what you guys are thinking; "OMFG SHE LIVES!" I also apologize for not updating for... um... months. -looks guilty- But you have to understand. With the writer's block, my Internet connection going down for more than 3 weeks, going back to school REALLY early (Aug. 15), the release of Kingdom Hearts II, my overdosage on yaoi, getting sick, my great uncle passing away, and the... other thing, I could hardly work on this chapter at all. Once again, sorry, but thank you for your patience. This chapter would have been longer, but it reached over 10 pages in Word, so I thought it would be OK**

**By the way, Knuckles is comming back to work next chapter, once he's done with the new material. Yay.-**

_It was a joyus celebration. On August 25th, A.O.T.T., the first fanfiction from Kawaii Overodse, was a year old. Confetti was everywhere. People rocked out to System Of A Down and Story Of The Year because that was the only music anyone could find. Epsio got drunk, put a lampshade on his head, and started to make out with a cookoo clock, all of it caught on film. Riku was placed in the center of a shooting gallery and was promptly killed. It was a glorious day indeed. But for every party there is one who would rather not be there, and it can be anyone. Even the one who threw the party in the first place..._

K.O.- ... ... ...

Airie- ...OK, I'll bite.What's with her? She's been like that for months. Not even Kingdom Hearts II cheered her up. **(KH2 IS FREAKING AWESOME BY THE WAY!)**

Sonic- She had to go to a place! It was terrible! It was the thing worse than evil, worse than English essays, worse than the worst thing you can possibly think of!

Airie- -gasp- You don't mean-!

Sonic- Oh, but I do! It was-!

K.O.- -chokes him- SAY THOSE WORDS AND YOU DIE.

Sonic- Urg... Summer... school...

-random gasps-

K.O.- DIE YOU MOTHER FSCKER! -shoots-

**Yes, it's true. For the first time in my 14-year-old life, I had to go to summer school. Some of you may not see this as a big deal, but when the Illinois Board Of Education is so fscked up that it doesn't even bother to correctly count your test scores and sends you there even though you probably didn't need to, I would think that it is A BIG FRIKIN DEAL.**

**_OCAdam_**- Is that really true? I'm sorry about that, I really didn't know about it. My sisters told me about it (actually, they acted it out for me), so I thought they made it up. Sorry for the confusion. I suppose you don't need to use that title. I couldn't think of anything else. Thanks for submitting, and once again, sorry.

By the way, if you really want me to have half rights to Water Tails, then it's only fair that you get half rights to one of my characters! (if it helps you decide, C.K. will pay you 15 million in frozen assests to take Largo)

_**Twilight-Link**_- Aiiie! Don't hurt me! I just thought you were a fan! I didn't know he was your homie! Anyway, I'll PM you the profiles, but it might take a while because I have to go through all the... 1035 e-mails I have saved in my box. Its OK about forgetting. I guess we've been talking in code for too long.

**_Carolyn the Hedgehog_**- Thanks for the support, but as Sonic so rudely stated, all of it was for nothing...

**_Chaotix Extremist_**- It has been a while since we heard from you! But its not like we were never going to hear from you again! ...Right? By the way, if you wouldn't mind, I find another Kingdom Hearts thing I think you'll like. I'll send it to you later.

**_Sariyu-chan and Sayuri-san_**- It's ok, don't freak out, I realize I was a bitch. But, I'm sure you can think of something. You're a very funny person!

**_Star_**- YAY! Another vote for Knuckles to add! I can't imagine Airie with Shadow, though. Mainly, it's cause I hate him, but also because I think of him as a... you know what? I'm not giving away a plot device this time. Sorry!

By the way, I can get your charrie in, but she'll have small role, as all the bigger roles have been filled and that's the only one I could give her. Sorry, but it's better than nothing!

**_Tailsie_**- Well... Yeah, I guess you're right; Airie would look a _little_ strange.

Airie- A _LITTLE_? I can hardly sleep because of the wings, and I'm afriad the talon things on my hands are going to poke out my eyes if I rub them!

But you see, she's a hedgechidna, or Twilight as I call them, because **_-insert secret plot device here-_**

Airie- Really?

Yeah! And the wings are there 'cause **_-insert very, VERY important and secret plot device here-_**.

Airie- You're kidding!

Nuh-uh! And good point about the Airie Keys/Alicia Keys thing. It never even crossed my mind! But that's what happens when you have to sisters who sing 'Because Of You' horribly off-key all the time!

Shadow- -scoff- And you claim to be 'the almighty authoress'.

K.O.- -cocks gun- You want to join Riku and Sonic? 'Cause I have a lot of bullets left over.

Shadow- Uhh... No?

K.O.- Too bad. I need to take my anger out on something. Besidses, I was going to do this eventually.

**_BLAM!_**

_**And so, Shadow died a very horrible death along with Riku and Sonic until they get ressurected by fangirls in the next chapter. So yeah, what else is new...**_

K.O.- Before we begin, however, in honor of this occasion, I'd like to share with you 3 facts about A.O.T.T. _before_ it was A.O.T.T. Ladies and germs, I give you _**A.O.T.T.: The Truth Behind The Truth! Part I**_

1. **The REAL Airie Keys**

Airie's original name was not Airie Keys. She was originally a Miss Rena (RAY-NA) Heartfold, a 14-year-old brunette and a legend among her fellow members of G.U.N. She was also the only G.U.N. member that wasn't color-blind, as she supported Sonic during the ARK incident, at which time the story takes place. Her parents, also G.U.N. members, were shot and killed in a mysterious incident, so Rena set out to find their murderer, while also attemping to be reunited with Knuckles, her best friend whom she met when they were both just itty-bitty kids (back then, it was a KnuxOC fic hands down). She even gave up her humanity to become a furrie so she could see it all to the end. This, however, failed because I didn't have a definite story line, so Rena became Airie, and the story line became more secure. Rena is still a character a plan to use in a different fic, however.

2. **The Birth Of Lite And C.K.**

C.K. and Lite were NOT in the original draft. I had not met the people of who they were based on when I started writing. Hell, the closest they would have gotten to being in the story back then was if they somehow turned themselves into Clara and Elliot from _NiGHTS _(Back then, I planned to connect as many different games as I could to the fic).

3. **Gaga And The Four Worlds Of Origin**

Oh, Gaga! Gaga, Gaga, Gaga...! I'm pretty sure most of you have realized this, but for those who haven't, Gaga was orginally there just to fill in a HUGE gap in the story. I was going to get Airie and her friends into the Sonic X world no matter what. BUT, when I tried to include C.K. into Lite and Largo's accension, she didn't fit. I then did what any fanfiction writer desperate to get past a mild case of writer's block would have to do at some point: use the awesome power of Anime Network ON DEMAND and gorge myself with the big-headed anime goodness until inspiration struck. And thank God it did; after hatching a new Chao in SA2 (a sparkly red Chao, his name is Cinna btw) and starting to watch InuYasha from episode one, Gaga was born as, said before, a plot device. But after some time, he grew on me and is now what I hope to be a favorite character among readers.

As to where he got his name from... uhh... Look! A three-headed monkey! -runs-**

* * *

**

RECAP: Back at the mansion, Airie was playing a game with Lite, when her eyes opened wide and her head perked up, as though she had come to some realization.

"What's wrong, sis?" Lite asked cocking his head.

Airie didn't move. "There's that sense of impending doom again..."

* * *

Knuckles walked silently through the woods of Forest Hill, clutching his red Chaos Emerald. As he stared into it's deep glow, he began to think more and more of home, if he could really consider Angel Island more like his home than as his prison. Regardless, he was growing more and more anxious to return. Without him, the Master Emerald could fall into the wrong hands! (A/N: Even though it's over 100 stories in the sky and you'd probably need a jet plane to get there.) 

So deep in thought, Knuckles lost some focus on his surroundings, otherwise he would have felt the familiar presence that wasalready able tospell out his doom time and time again.

"KNUCKLES!"

Knuckles swivled his head. "Oh no, not... _her_..."

C.K. nose-dived to the ground were Knuckles stood, coming to a screeching halt. "I found you!" she proclamied.

Knuckles cocked an eyebrow. "'Found me?' You mean you were trying to track me down?"

C.K. paled. "Uhh... N-NO! I wasn't LOOKING for you!"she stammered, hiding a DNA-tracking device and a small lock of Knuckles' dreads. "You were just... convienently there, out in the open, and going where I'm going!"

Knuckles, annoyed, rubbed his temples. (A/N: That's it, Knux. Just keep rubbing your head. That'll keep the psycho fangirl away). While he did so, C.K.'s broom started floating back and away from him. "...What are you doing?"

"I dunno what happened." C.K. said climbing off. "It just went backwards when you rubbed your head. Weird, huh?" (A/N: ...It worked? No foolin'? EEEE-HEEE-HEEEE! NEW TAKE-OVER-THE-WORLD PLAN!)

"So..." Knuckles said, not mentioning he felt someone plotting diabolically. "What do you want?"

C.K. threw her hands in the air. "What! Can't a girl follow around the guy she's desperatly in love with, withOUT it being considered some hair-brained 'fall-in-love-with-me-or-die' scheme?" After noticing Knuckles' freaked out expression and having him step a few inches away from her, she quickly said, "Uh... I mean... Nothing!"

"OK... I'm leaving then..."

"WAIT!" C.K. called. "...OK, you got me. I'm looking for someone. Someone I HAVE to see in person, or so help me I will grab the nearest person, tear out their mantle, hang it over a rear view mirror, and-!"

C.K. stopped at the sound of a large 'clunk'. After quickly saying, "Nevermind.", she dashed over to the bushes and screamed, "LUCKY!"

Knuckles, still unsure that following the 'Echidna Amy 2.0' was the best of ideas, walked over and asked, "What's lucky?"

"Not _what's_ Lucky!" C.K. corrected. "It's _who's_ Lucky!"

Knuckles looked past the bushes and saw what could just be his way back home. Of course, it did not look like it at first glance. It was a robot, clearly one of Eggman's, because who else would have robots aimlessly walking around the area? It's body was constructed out of golden metal and was covered in front by a horeshoe, and in the center of that was a four-leaf clover. Its two rabbit feet were kicking in the air, as it had fallen over and was rolling from one side to the other due to its bell shape.

"Where'd this thing come from?" he asked.

"Ohh, Lucky came from stupid Eggman's stupid crashed ship that's below that stupid cliff." C.K. said, not even caring.

"WHAT?"

"...Nothing. You heard nothing."**

* * *

**

-At the mansion-

"A-Airie... are you sure this is right?"

"...No Amy, I'm not. But doesn't it feel right deep inside you?"

"I don't know..."

"Amy, trust me, you'll learn in time. But I can't give you the heavy stuff yet."

"Why?"

"It could overload your mind at this age, and trust me, you DO NOT want that. We'll just start you out on some easy shonen-ai, and once C.K. and I finish your tain-"

Sonic opened the door to Airie's room, which for some reason, had all the lights turned off. On the bed sat an angered Airie and a confused Amy. Airie, for some reason, was wearing the bed sheet like a cloak to conceal her face. The only light coming from the darkness was from Airie's laptop.

"Airie, what are you, a troll?" Sonic chuckled.

Sonic wasn't chuckling for much longer when Airie grabbed him by his invisible collar and started to yell in his face. "What do you want!" She screamed. "Can't you see I'm busy tainting this young, innocent child!"

"What are you- AUUGH!"

Sonic cut himself off when Airie punched him down the stairs, with the only warning of, "Begone, philistine succubus!"

Sonic tumbled down the stairs, head over big blue heels, until he somehow founf himself in the garage, where Lite was helping Tails with the X-Tornado. One look at the red mark on Sonic's face, Lite had to ask, "Dude, what happened to you?"

Sonic jumped back up. "Your sister punched me down the stairs for no reason!"

"Well, there _had_ to be a reason. Airie doesn't do those kinds of things just for fun, y'know." Lite said. "Whatever she was doing might have been weird, but I know my sister well enough by now not to question everything she does in her free time..."

_Lite walked down the halls of his house and stopped by Airie's room. She had her face buried in what appeared to be a bible, and it looked as though she was preforming a wedding ceremony for her two Sonic and Shadow dolls, as they were both dressed in little tuxedos._

_"Uh... Airie?"_

_Airie reached for a baseball bat lying next to her. "Keep walking."_

_"Okie-dokie..."_

"...but that's not the point." Lite said. "So... what'd you do?"

"I don't know..." Sonic said, rubbing his head. "I walked into her room to see what was going on, there were no lights down, Amy was there, and Airie yelled that she was "tainting a young, innocent child", or something."

Lite raised his brows. "Ah, I see." He then proceeded to take a water bottle he had been drinking from, drink some of the contents, then spit it out in Sonic's face. "WHAT?" he roared. "And you didn't STOP her? And I thought you were a hero!"

Sonic wiped the water/spit off his face. "I am! And just how am I supposed to stop her? I have no idea what she's talking about!"

Lite gave him an insane look. "Are you kidding me?"

"No!"

Lite's eye twitched very visibly, as it was the only think he could do to prevent himself from slapping his forehead. Remembering Tails was in the room, and, not wanting to concern him, mouthed out to Sonic what Airie meant by "tainting". (A/N: This is a joke between **_kyofangirl668_** and me, but some of the female readers should be able to figure it out. If a male reader figures it out, I give you an apology cookie in advance.)

Sonic's eyes widened as he foresaw doom. "THAT'S what she was doing!" he yelled. "That's not right!"

Lite nodded vigorously. " I know! Airie does it with every girl she knows around Amy's age! We're just lucky C.K. went out to stalk Knuckles today or who knows what would've gone down!" With that, Lite ran out as fast as he could, screaming, "AIRIE! STOP! SONIC'S THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD _POSSIBLY_ BE THAT WAY!"

Sonic mouth gaped open at the comment. When he finally remembered how to close it, he ran after Lite. "Who's side ARE YOU ON?"

Poor Tails, having had to witness the child-like behavoir of the two, left, deciding he'd rather not get involved.

**_Ding...Dong!_**

"I'll get it!" said Chris.(A/N: Man, I love that kid, but I haven't given him a real role. Largo too, now that I think of it.) When Chris got to the door, it burst open, and in walked C.K., swinging her arms and singing all the way.

_"Mine eyes have seen the horror of the coming of the frogs!  
They are sneaking through the swamps, they are lurking under logs!  
You can hear their mournful croaking  
Through the early morning fog  
Oh, the frogs keep hopping on!"_

Upstairs, lite and Sonic were pounding on Airie's door, when it too swung open, knocking them into the wall, and Airie paradeded down the stairs, continuing C.K.'s song.

_"Ribbit, ribbit, croak, croak!  
Ribbit, ribbit, croak, croak!  
__Ribbit, ribbit, croak, croak!  
Oh, the frogs keep hopping on!"_

Chris stared, then returned his attention to Knuckles, who only said, "She was doing that all they way here..."

But, let's not get hung up on Knux's whining. Let's get back to Airie and C.K. That'll keep us entertained.

"So, how is our taintee?" C.K. asked in an Old English accent.

"She's coming along quite nicely. I was surprised." Airie replied in the same way. "She's doing considerably well, seeing as she is a year beneath the proper age."

"Yes, quite."

"Mm-hmm."

"Indeed."

When Lite and Sonic got out from behind the door, then ran downstairs to confront the two. "How could you guys do that to poor Amy!" Lite cried.

"Why would you think I like people that way!" Sonic screamed.

"One, because we can." C.K. said.

"And two, because you just give off that impression." Airie said.

"HOW!"

"You just do. I can't tell you anymore or else your brain will implode." Airie said. She walked into the opposite room, which was the kitchen. When she closed the door behind her, there was a cry of, "BOKKUN!"

Sonic snapped out of his dramatuzed state, and Lite and C.K. stopped arguing when Airie screamed. The four ran into the kitchen, only to see Airie standing in front of the table. On the table was Bokkun, eating various amounts of food set out. Well, he was eating them until Airie walked in. Now he was just sitting there with his mouth gaped open. He hid the food in his hands behind his back.

"This isn't what it looks like!"

"Oh, so it DOESN'T look like you're mooching off our food!" Lite exclaimed.

Bokkun swallowed what was in his mouth. "I wasn't stealing it! Do you have any idea how for Dr.Eggman's base is from here? I was starving! You can't deny a little robot with a sweet tooth a snack once in a while!"

"Robots have sweet toohths?" C.K. pondered aloud.

Airie ignored her and asked, "So tell us, why are you here?"

Bokkun stood up and walked across the table coming back with another exploding television and an small, sealed envelope. "I actually have a message from the doctor to you!"

"To me?" Airie looked back at the others, who merely shrugged." ...Well, let's see what Eggy wants."

Bokkun turned on the TV, and on the screen appeared Eggman. **"Greetings... Ms. Keys, was it?"** he said with a smirk.

"What do you want? You're interuppting my very busy schedule of doing nothing."

**"Please, don't talk like that."** Eggman said. **"I've sent Bokkun all the way here with good news."**

"Good news would be weird coming from you, considering that you're, y'know, kinda the VILLIAN here."

**"I realize that, but this is news for you alone. You see, in light of your special 'abilities', I've decided to extend a hand of partnership to you."**

"'Partnership'?"

**"Just think of it! With your powers and my genius, we would become an unstoppable force! Together, we could enslave this planet and create the Eggman Empire! You, of course, would be given a seat of power."**

Bokkun handed Airie the envelope, which held inside an invitation for her. Airie was, nontheless, impressed.

"Wow..." she said. "A honorary invitation and a seat of power. Pretty cool!" Her eyes lit up. "And the whole idea of enslaving the human race-!" Her expression turned grim as she crumpled up the paper. "Not so much." She tossed the paper into the garbage bin. "There's your answer, Eggy."

"But Airie!" C.K. said. "For as long as I've known you, you've always wanted to rule over humanity!"

"Yeah! You've always wanted to make a world in your own vision!" Lite said.

"I still do, guys, I still do." Airie said. "But I won't rely on the help of a guy with a glanduer problem to do it. When the time comes, I will do it on my own. You still want to become Supreme High Emperess of all Asia, don't you C.K.?"

C.K. looked down sheepishly. "Hai..."

"And Lite, you still want to become the dictator of Canada, right?"

Lite shifted on his feet. "Yeah..."

"And the two of you still want to carry out our plan of wiping MySpace off the plain of exsistense, RIGHT?"

The two nodded.

"Well then, its settled. The answer's no."

Eggman sighed. **"I had figured you would say that..."** he said with obvious disapointment. **"Oh well. I tried, and I know when I'm beat. I'll leave you be. But please, keep the TV as a gift. There aren't any explosives, that I can assure you. And with that, I bid you farewell." **The TV blacked out.

"That was odd." Sonic said.

"Y'think?" Airie said. "But who cares? FREE TV!" She lifted it up, but it was too heavy for her. "Ohh, God..." She handed it to Sonic.

"Hey, why do I have to carry it? Its your TV!"

"Yap yap, blah blah, dribble dribble dribble." Airie said. Sonic rolled his eyes up and mimicked her. Airie just mimicked his mimick.

"Hey, you can't mimick my mimick!"

"Oh yes I can. I just did, didn't I?"

The two continued to argue, and Lite and C.K. just watched.

None of them had noticed that Bokkun had previously flown out the window, and now hovered against the wall. He peered in every so often to look at Sonic (A/N: NO! Bokkun is NOT going to be like that!). "I just have to wait till he looks at it..." he said, slowing reaching for a switch from his pack. "Oh, I hope the doctor know what he's doing!" He peered inside again.

"Look, Sonic we're not getting anywhere. Let's just drop it." Airie said.

"The arguement of the TV?"

"Very funny."

"Heh, what can I say? I'm a funny hedgehog." Sonic chuckled. "But anyway, that was really weird of Eggman just to give up like that."

"Yeah." C.K. agreed. "That wasn't like him at all."

"He's probably up to something, same as always." Lite added.

Sonic set the TV down on the counter. "What is he up to...?" His eyes darted to a small hole in the side of the TV. "What the heck is thing thing?"

"NOW!" Bokkun whispered, and he hit the switch.

On the inside, a bright pink spray came out from the small hole Sonic was examining and covered him. The chemical spray knocked him out and he fell to the ground.

"Holy crap! Sonic!" Airie dropped to the floor and began to shake the blue hedgehog. "Wake up! This is not funny! I swear if you're faking it..."

"C'mon Lite, let's get Amy!" C.K. said.

"Yeah! She should know what to do!" The two left, leaving Airie and unconsious Sonic alone.

Well, he was unconsious for about 10 more seconds after they left. Airie had pulled his head into her lap when his eyes slowly started to open. His vision was blurred, but he could clearly see Airie's look of relief.

"Oh, thank God you're alright!" she sighed. "...You _are_ alright, right?"

Sonic slowly sat up, and stared Airie in the face. Airie just looked back in confusion. Suddenly, Sonic burst into joyus tears and embraced the girl. "I'm OK as long as you are, Airie!" he cried.

Airie was, of course, frightened beyond all belief. "Sooonic..." she said slowly. "Are you _sure_ you're feeling OK?"

She felt Sonic nod. "Yep! As long as I'm with you again!"

Airie jumped back. "Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa! Hold the phone!" she yelled, waving her arms frantically. "What did you mean by "with you"?"

"I was so worried!" Sonic said. "When I got knocked out, I thought you were next! And its my duty to be worried about my_ girlfriend_!"

Airie froze.

"Say again?"

"My girlfriend."

"I'm sorry, but what?"

"My girlfriend."

"I'm not following you."

"My girlfriend!"

Now, most people don't know this, but the thin line between sanity and insanity isn't something that you can cross over. Its actually the Thin Line of Sanity, and you can only become insane should the line snap. Temporary insanity, the kind most young people have, occurs when the line bends. Airie's line must have been bent over in a lot of places after she processed what Sonic had said. She did the only thing a person could do if a blue hedgehog just called them their girlfriend.

Yep, you guessed it; she screamed. She screamed so loud everyone in Station Square paused for a brief moment, wondering where the shreik came from. Naturally, Lite, C.K. and Amy had heard, and they all ran downstairs into the kitchen. What a surprise when they saw Sonic, still on the floor, only with a large bump on his noggin, and Airie crouched over him, holding a frying pan and panting heavily.

"Airie, what did you do!" C.K. yelled. " I thought the purpose of us getting Amy to help was to wake Sonic up, not knock him out again!"

Airie was panting more heavily now. "You don't understand!" she cried. "He woke up, hugged me and then-"

**"Called you his girlfriend?"**

The four turned to the TV, which had turned on again, Eggman face still on, only with a smub smile on his face. Airie did not hesitate to run up to the TV and scream, "YOU! FIX SONIC NOW, YOU FAT BUTT-LICKER!"

**"I'm not fat, and no."**

"WHY!"

**"I really see no point. You didn't wish to cooperate, so I used the chemical spray inside the TV, mixed with your own DNA and other pheromones, to make you appear irresistable to him. Glad to see that it worked, by the way."**

Airie calmed down a bit. "OK, what do you want?"

**"Simple; if you join me, I will give you the antidote to cure Sonic of the chemicals."** He raised a small vile, which was clearly the antidote. **"If not... well, I would hope to hear of a wedding someday!" **With that, the TV blacked out for good.

C.K. put her hands to her mouth in shock.

Amy blanked out entirely.

Lite resisted to urge to shoot Sonic in his K.O.'d state.

Airie stood agast. "Oh, son of a bitch..."

**

* * *

Important Service Announcement From Kawaii Overdose- Keep Yourself Pre-ocupied! **

**Lyrics by Nick Cave "The Curse Of Millhaven". Also, no offense meant to those who go to a private school, as I went to one, too (but I will never, ever go back. EVER.)**

**K.O.- If some of you didn't read the top and are wondering why this chapter came even slower than usual, please give most of the blame to the stupid Illinois Board Of Education (who didn't even bother to count the ISAT scores) and my stupid principal, who both said I had to go to summer school (even though I passed all my freaking classes), causing the update slowness, because if I didn't go, I wouldn't become a freshman. _OH TEH NOES!_ So, a good friend of mine and I put together some activities you can do should something like this happen again.**

**1. Get together all the actors, singers, sport stars and corporate bastards who earn millions a year to explain face-to-face to a woman who just lost her child due to starvation why they sleep on piles on money.**

**2. Point at something!**

**3. Create a new TV show called "Space Survivor", where anyone who has ever been on a reality show is blasted off into the sun (except for Queer Eye, cause then you're just being (in my opinion) a homophobe, and the day you do that is the day I hunt you down and kill you :D)**

**4. Look the other way!**

**5. Soothe a loved one's troubled mind by writing Nick Cave song lyrics on a get well card. _EXAMPLE!_**

**Troubled Loved One- -reading card in horror- ...Yeah, I drowned the blakey kid, stabbed Mrs. Colgate, I admit. Did the handyman with his circular saw in the garden shed. But I never crucified little Biko, that was two Junior High School psychos...**

**6. Eat a muffin!**

**7. Start the "Let's Drink Milk Association", and get members by holding a musical with many, many singing and dancing cows. _ANOTHER EXAMPLE!_**

**Singing And Dancing Sows- Straight from da udder of a litte calf's mudder! So when you feel like poo, all you have to do is moo-moo-moooo! Cuz there's money to blik and we can all buy some milk! Moo... Moo... Let's drink milk...**

**8. Give K.O. money! That'll make her write!**

**9. Find out why the same people who teach us about Jesus, the man who lived and died defending the poor, open private schools to give rich kids an edge in education and a general life as opposed to the children who go to public schools.**


End file.
